Barnesville Hospital Honors Organ Donors at Flag Ceremony
The community and hospital staff gathered at WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital to celebrate a Donate Life Flag Ceremony honoring those impacted by organ and tissue donation.
The ceremony recognized donors, recipients and families whose lives have been forever changed by the gift of life.
April Lopez, program coordinator for Lifeline of Ohio, opened the ceremony by speaking about the importance of the program and Donate Life Month.
Lifeline of Ohio is an independent, non-profit organization that promotes and coordinates the donation of human organs and tissue for transplantation, helping save and heal lives in Ohio and beyond, according to its website.
“We would like to thank you guys for raising the flag today in honor of Donate Life Month,” Lopez said. “It was 2023, when Donate Life Month was established. So we have quite a long way to go, and the theme this year is to leave a legacy, and it’s definitely the legacy of the generous donors and donor families and our service area.”
Lifeline of Ohio reported 135 organ donors and 961 tissue donors in its service area, while Barnesville Hospital had one tissue donor and three eye donors.
Lifeline of Ohio Ambassador Jacqueline Poole shared the story of her son, Dean, who became an organ donor.
Lifeline of Ohio Ambassador Jacqueline Poole talks about her son, Dean, at the ceremony. ©Barnesville Area News Company Photo.
Poole described Dean as a “country boy” who loved ripped jeans, boots and a ball cap. He was a hard worker who didn’t mind getting dirty.
“On the outside, he was a man’s man, but on the inside, he was a caring and loving individual,” she said. “He would never go to bed at night without telling us all he loved us. He was always the first to help if someone was in need.”
On June 25, 2011, Poole and her husband, Carl, learned their son had been in an auto accident.
Just three months earlier, Dean had received his driver’s license and immediately chose to become a registered donor. He later became a tissue and eye donor.
“This didn’t come as a surprise to me. This is how Dean had always lived his life, helping others,” Poole said.
Poole said she once feared hearing from her son’s recipient would bring back the pain of his loss, but instead found comfort in knowing his legacy lives on.
“Thank you for allowing me to come and tell his story once again, because as of today, Dean continues to live on through others, and he’ll always be remembered,” she said. “As long as I have the opportunity to keep telling his story, he will never be forgotten.”
Dean would have turned 33 on March 28.
Following her remarks, the crowd observed a moment of silence to honor donors and recipients.
Maintenance crew member Scott Walter raises the Donate Life Flag at the ceremony. ©Barnesville Area News Company Photo.
Poole said Lifeline of Ohio helped her family through the most difficult months after Dean’s death.
“It’s a special recognition for the people that have given their lives and heroes of donation,” she said. “It means a lot because donor families, it lets us know too, that they’ll never be forgotten, and it helps spread the word of importance of donation.”
Poole also shared that her daughter, Marley, chose to donate her placenta after giving birth.
“When she became pregnant with my granddaughter, one of the first things she said was, ‘Mom, I’m going to do it. I want to do this and hopefully help someone while I’m still here.’”
Director of Operations Patrick Huber said this ceremony was important for the hospital and community.
“We’re here when the patients and community need us, but we’re also here when the community and patients don’t need us …” he said. “This is a perfect example of why we do this, those community members who are willing to take that extra step to ensure that they give the choice of life to somebody else.”
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