9/4/2014 Donate Life flag to fly on Rochester hospital campuses during organ donations

http://newsletters.mayo.edu/newscenter/Article.aspx?contentID=DOCMAN-0000161220&category=Mayo%20in%20Action&subcategory=Caring%20fo… 1/2

Donate Life flag to fly on Rochester hospital campuses during organdonationsAug. 29, 2014 • RST To acknowledge this lifesaving gift of organ donation, Mayo Clinic has introduced a new practice of raising theDonate Life flag at the time of a deceased organ donation at Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester. This new practicehonors the donors and their families, and brings awareness of the extraordinary gifts of donation.

Anthony Boerner, whose wife Josephine passed away in June, can attest to the significance of the flag. Just monthsafter being put on the transplant waiting list for a heart, Josephine’s condition worsened. She knew the chance offinding a donor was slim. After years of struggling with dilated cardiomyopathy, Josephine decided to discontinueher care, fully aware that this decision would end her life.

“Josephine knew the pain of waiting for a donor. If she couldn’t receive a donation herself, she wanted to be that giftof life to someone else,” says Anthony.

So, Josephine did just that, despite her complex medical history. In addition to donating her corneas, through apractice called “donation after circulatory death,” she also was able to donate her kidneys to two other patients whoalso were familiar with the anguish of waiting for a transplant. Josephine was one of the first donors at Mayo Clinicfor whom the Donate Life flag was raised in her honor. Honoring her bravery and spirit through the flag gaveJosephine’s loved ones some comfort and peace. “Raising the flag in honor of donors is a great thing. It signifiesthe mark Josephine left on the world,” explains Anthony.

LifeSource is the nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization for the Upper Midwest. Ininstances of deceased organ donation on campus, the LifeSource donation coordinator offers the family the flag-raising, and a brief ceremony consisting of short speeches and words from a chaplain, if requested. The donor’sfamily, friends and care team are invited to the ceremony, and the Donate Life flag flies until the donation process iscomplete.

This ceremony raises public awareness of the importance of organ donation and encourages others to identifythemselves as donors.

“Few people know what the Donate Life flag stands for,” says Anthony. “It would be so much more meaningful ifevery passerby knew what the flag represents.”

So, whenever you see Donate Life flags, either on Second Street in front of the Francis Building or at the mainentrance of the Eisenberg Building, it signifies a donation in process. Take a moment to pay respects to the donorand his or her family for the gift of life.

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Thursday, September 4, 2014 - 8:51 a.m.

Mayo Clinic News Center

9/4/2014 Donate Life flag to fly on Rochester hospital campuses during organ donations

http://newsletters.mayo.edu/newscenter/Article.aspx?contentID=DOCMAN-0000161220&category=Mayo%20in%20Action&subcategory=Caring%20fo… 2/2

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