The crisp April air vibrated with a quiet energy. A small crowd gathered outside Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC), their eyes drawn to the flagpole. It wasn’t just any flag waiting to be raised; it was the Donate Life flag, a vibrant tapestry of blue and green, symbolizing hope and second chances.
This wasn’t just any day either; it was Blue and Green Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the critical need for organ and tissue donation during National Donate Life Month.
Among the crowd were hospital leadership, including Mark Dr. Sparta, president, Northern Region, Hackensack Meridian Health; Lisa Tank, M.D., F.A.C.P, MBA, president and chief hospital executive, Hackensack University Medical Center; along with members of the HUMC Department of Transplantation. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with dedicated members of the New Jersey Sharing Network, including Veronica L. Horvath, all united by a common cause.
In New Jersey, approximately 2,346 people are currently on the kidney transplant waiting list. Additionally, about 4,000 people in the state are on the waiting list for any type of organ transplant.
As the flag ascended and rippled in the breeze, it was a powerful reminder of the thousands of people waiting for a life-saving transplant. It was a symbol of hope for those on the waiting list and a testament to the generosity of donors.
The annual flag raising ceremony at Hackensack University Medical Center is more than just a symbolic gesture. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of organ donation, a celebration of life, and a call to action for everyone to consider becoming a registered donor. The blue and green flag, now fluttering proudly in the wind, will serve as a beacon of hope for a future where more lives are saved through the generosity of others.
About Donate Life Month
National Donate Life Month (NDLM) features an entire month of activities to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of donation. Celebrations throughout NDLM include:
- Donate Life Living Donor Day – April 2, 2025
Join us in thanking all living donors for their lifesaving generosity! Click to download Donate Life Living Donor Day social media graphics to share with your community. - National Donate Life Blue & Green Day – April 11, 2025
On National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, the public is encouraged to wear blue and green and to engage in sharing the Donate Life message and promoting the importance of registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor. - Blue & Green Spirit Week – April 5–12, 2025
Each day of the week leading up to National Donate Life Blue & Green Day is dedicated to a special theme, and will include: recognizing donors, volunteers and healthcare heroes; giving hope to those waiting; and engaging the public in fun at-home activities. - National Pediatric Transplant Week – April 20–26, 2025
National Pediatric Transplant Week focuses on the powerful message of ending the pediatric transplant waiting list. Throughout the week, clinical partners share their innovative work and patient stories (candidates and recipients), donor families whose children have saved and healed lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation are honored, and recipient families share their thanks and celebrate milestones. Donate Life America (DLA) would like to thank the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the American Society of Transplantation (AST), American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and Transplant Families for their partnership in developing and promoting National Pediatric Transplant Week.
National Minority Donor Awareness Month – August
National Minority Donor Awareness Month is a collaborative initiative of the National Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Multicultural Action Group (NMAG) – American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), the American Kidney Fund, Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT), Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), Donate Life America (DLA), Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) National Kidney Foundation (NKF), The Links, Incorporated, the Transplant Life Foundation, and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) – to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye, and tissue donation. Outreach activities during this month include events to provide donation education, encourage donor registration and promote healthy living and disease prevention to decrease the need for transplantation.
National DMV Appreciation Month – September
The DMV partnership remains the primary source of donor registrations. DMV and driver’s licensing partners are the people on the front lines of service who have helped register more than 140 million donors. National DMV Appreciation Month is a time for the Donate Life Community to say thank you and show its appreciation of DMV partners across the country through national and local events and outreach.