Organ and Tissue Donation

Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is proud to serve as the federally designated not-for-profit agency that coordinates organ and tissue donation and supports families of donors in the northern three-quarters of Illinois and northwest Indiana. As one of 58 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) that make up the nation's organ donation system, Gift of Hope works with 183 hospitals, including Rockford Memorial Hospital. The life-giving donation process begins at the time of death, after all efforts to save a patient's life have failed. Rockford Memorial Hospital plays a vital role in the organ donation process.

The initial process begins with the hospital making a referral on the potential organ donor. Federal regulations require hospitals to notify their regional organ procurement organization to evaluate patient deaths or imminent deaths for potential donation. From that point, Gift of Hope, in coordination with the clinical team at the hospital, approaches the family to offer them the option of donation. Once consent is obtained, Gift of Hope and the nursing and physician staff at Rockford Memorial Hospital work together to manage the donor before the procurement takes place.

For more information, go to www.giftofhope.org.