Boone Memorial Health celebrates Logan County couple for National Living Donor Day
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April is National Donate Life Month, dedicated to raising awareness of the rising need for more registered organ donors.
Robert Fields | WVOW News
MADISON While many recognize April 1st as April Fool's Day, Boone Memorial Health says it was celebrating something more serious: Living Donor Day.
The hospital honored Logan County residents Brandi and Dustin Smith, both of Chapmanville.
Brandi donated one of her kidneys to her husband, Dustin, in an act that Boone Memorial says saved his life. Staff set up a booth on Wednesday with awareness-raising materials and gave guests a meal inspired by some of Dustin’s favorite foods.
The hospital said on social media that Donate Life Month is “a time to raise awareness, honor donors and their families, and celebrate transplant recipients,” and said, “Stories like Dustin and Brandi’s remind us just how powerful one decision can be.”
The procedure happened on Valentines Day.
Brandi said in a social media post that the support she and Dustin have received from the community has really helped both of them during their recovery following the procedure.
National Donate Life Month was established by the group Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003 and goes through April each year. The group helps raise awareness about donation, encourages people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors, and honors those who have saved lives through donation.
If you want to register as an organ donor, one way is by going online to the Center for Organ Recovery and Education’s website.
WVOW's Shana Nelson contributed to this story.
PHOTO | Boone Memorial Health - Facebook Brandi Browning-Smith - Facebook Donate Life America