Gift of Life memorial at University of Kentucky hospital creates ‘lasting tribute’ to organ and tissue donors

Ky Forward | Allison Perry, University of Kentucky
Photo: The Gift of Life wall is located inside UK Chandler Hospital Pavilion A, adjacent to the Gill Heart Institute. (Photo from UKNow)

A new memorial Gift of Life wall designed to honor organ and tissue donors has been unveiled at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

The unveiling took place during a special ceremony that also included reading aloud the names of 240 donors listed on the wall.

“Creating a lasting tribute to those who have given hope and new life through donation has been a dream of UK and KODA (Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates at UK HealthCare) for many years,” said Donna Slone, client services coordinator for KODA. “There have been nearly 1,000 donors at UK since transplantation began here in 1964. Some have chosen to remain anonymous, but we hope other families of UK donors that we did not reach this year will see the Gift of Life wall and allow us to add those names in the future.”

More than 500 donor family members and guests on hand for the unveiling. Michelle Landers, whose 17-year-old daughter, Hannah, became an organ donor in 2008, was involved in the memorial planning and shared her daughter’s story.

“I am very honored to have been a part of the planning committee for the donor memorial wall and to have been asked to share Hannah’s story,” Landers said. “Our family continues to be very proud of her decision to be an organ donor, and we are so grateful that UK and KODA have chosen to publicly honor her and the many other organ and tissue donors in such a beautiful way.”

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