Honoring the Gift of Donating Life at Essentia Health

Essentia Health held their annual Donate Life flag raising to honor those touched by organ donation.

Duluth, Minn. – Essentia Health held a special annual flag raising ceremony in memory of those who have given the gift of life through organ and tissue donation.

The ceremony included prayer and reflection for those who have been touched by donations.

The Donate Life flag was raised outside a building on the Essentia capus.

One heart recipient attends the ceremony each year to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice of his donor.

“I just want to reach out to those that are waiting that it’s great it’s just a miracle that we can get this second chance,” said Dan Rosin, a heart recipient and pharmacist at Essentia.

The prospect of donation can be morbid for some, but on Essentia worker’s sister received a liver transplant that saved her life, which opened her eyes.

“I was very scared to be an organ donor myself prior to that and I learned so much through that process that I’ve become a donor since and marked it on my license and I’m very proud to tell everyone about organ donation now and educate others,” said Meghann Whiting, the operations manager of the Third Street Clinic.

Donate Life organization says up to 75 lives can be impacted by one donor.

If interested Minnesotans can become donors by registering for a driver, hunting, or fishing license, or to register online visit the link here.