Donor Remembrance Ceremony honors organ and tissue donors and their families

HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center held a Donor Remembrance Ceremony on July 31, honoring organ and tissue donors from 2022 to 2024.

The event, hosted in the Garden of Life, welcomed more than 50 donor family members, along with clinical staff and leaders from Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine. The ceremony recognized the life-changing impact of donation and the families who made the courageous decision to give the gift of life.

Don McKenna, president of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, opened the event by emphasizing the theme of “immeasurable gratitude,” acknowledging the strength and compassion of donor families.

Rick Hasz, CEO of Gift of Life, shared the outcomes of their generosity:

• 56 families chose to create a lasting legacy through organ donation.
• These decisions led to 169 life-saving organ transplants.
• 184 tissue donors gave the gift of healing.
• 146 cornea donors helped restore sight.

Jennifer Gish, nurse manager of the Neuroscience Critical Care Unit, reflected on the privilege of caring for donors and their families. Priscilla Glusko, mother of donor Anthony Glusko, read a poem titled “Somewhere” in honor of those remembered. Each donor was recognized individually, and families placed hand-painted butterfly stones in the garden — a symbol of transformation, renewal and hope.

Karen Kim, dean of the College of Medicine, closed the ceremony by reflecting on the lasting legacy of each donor and the medical community’s responsibility to honor their gifts through education, research and compassionate care.

Those interested can sign up to be an organ and tissue donor at this link.