Flag's mission is organ donation

Norwich Bulletin

What it is: Colchester raised the Donate Life flag, to increase public awareness of organ and tissue donation, at a ceremony Monday morning at Town Hall. The flag will fly at Town Hall for two weeks.

History: Peter Kupczak, of Colchester, got permission to raise the Donate Life flag last year on the Town Hall flagpole as part of Flags Across America, a national celebration honoring organ, eye and tissue donors. His daughter, Jessica Kupczak, a former Colchester native, died in November 2002 at 24 years old after a severe asthma attack. Four people received her kidneys, pancreas, liver and heart.

Waiting list: There are more than 113,000 patients on the national transplant waiting list, and 18 people die every day as a result of the shortage in organs, according to Donate Life Connecticut, a volunteer-run coalition of professionals, donor family members and transplant recipients that are dedicated to educating the public about the lifesaving benefits of organ and tissue donation and increasing the number of registered donors.

National awareness: April is national Donate For Life Month. “Donate Life Connecticut appreciates Colchester’s continued commitment to support donation,” Kari Mull, Director of Donate Life Connecticut, said.

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