MISSISSIPPI ORGAN RECOVERY AGENCY CELEBRATES COMMITMENT TO SAVING AND IMPROVING LIVES
2nd Annual Spero Awards held at Old Capitol Inn, Jackson
Jackson, MS - The Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA) served as host for the 2nd annual Spero Awards presented by Donate Life Mississippi on Thursday, July 16th, 2015 at the Old Capitol Inn in downtown Jackson. The awards ceremony recognized hospital partners, medical professionals, corporate partners and donor ambassadors that work tirelessly in conjunction with MORA to promote organ, eye and tissue donation to ultimately save and improve lives.
A total of 17 Spero Awards were presented to individuals and organizations from areas throughout the state. The word Spero (Spā-rō) is Latin for “hope”. The title was chosen to reflect the hope that organ and tissue donation brings to those in need of a lifesaving organ or a life improving tissue transplant.
Additionally, ten medical facilities in the state received Hospital Excellence Awards in recognition of their achievement of national organ donation performance standards by attaining one or more of three set goals.
2015 Spero Award recipients
Ancillary or Healthcare Staff of the Year- U of M Medical Center Morgue Services, Jackson
Nurse Champion- Jonathan Depoyster, U of M Medical Center, Jackson
Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year- Beverly Spicer, U of M Medical Center, Jackson
Physician Champion- Dr. Michael Sanders, St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson
Most Supportive Hospital Administrator- David Putt, U of M Medical Center, Grenada
Most Supportive Hospital Leadership- Teresa Williams, St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson
Best Pre-Donor Management- U of M Medical Center, Jackson
Most Supportive Tissue Hospital- North Mississippi Medical Center-Iuka
Most Supportive Organ & Tissue Hospital- Singing River Hospital, Pascagoula
Most Supportive Mortuary Services-Greater Jackson Mortuary Services, Jackson
Most Supportive Coroner-Clayton Cobler, Lauderdale County
Faith Leader of the Year- Doris Whitaker, U of M Medical Center, Jackson
Volunteer of the Year-Tracy Bragg, Meridian
Donation Advocate- The Cartwright Family, St. Martin
Red Heart Award-Picayune Department of Public Safety Station
Corporate Partner of the Year-Quail Ridge Press, Brandon
Award of Distinction-Steve and Laura Gaskin, Aberdeen
The Mississippi Lions Eye Bank also presented the first Gift of Sight Award to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo for their work in helping to facilitate sight saving corneal transplants.
Hospital Excellence Awards were awarded to 10 hospitals that have achieved national organ donation performance standards set by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Hospitals receiving those awards were:
Anderson Regional Medical Center, Meridian
Forrest General Hospital, Hattiesburg
Hancock Medical Center, Bay St. Louis
Merit Health Central Mississippi, Jackson
Natchez Regional Medical Center, Natchez
North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo
Rush Foundation Hospital, Meridian
St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson
South Central Regional Medical Center, Laurel
University of Mississippi Medical Center-Jackson
Also recognized during the ceremony were 32 hospitals from across the state that have enrolled in the Mississippi Hospitals for Hope campaign that was developed to ensure that hospitals throughout the state provide support, resources and the information needed to participate in the national campaign. The Hospitals recognized for their participation in the state Hospitals for Hope campaign were:
Anderson Regional Medical Center
Anderson Regional Medical Center-South
Baptist Health Systems-Mississippi
Covington County Hospital
Delta Regional Medical Center
Field Memorial Community Hospital
Forrest General Hospital
Jefferson County Hospital
John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital
King’s Daughters Medical Center
Laird Hospital
Merit Health Biloxi
Merit Health Central Mississippi
Merit Health River Region
North Mississippi Medical Center
North Mississippi Medical Center-Iuka
North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc
North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point
North Sunflower County Medical Center
Ocean Springs Hospital
OCH Regional Medical Center
Regency Hospital of Meridian
Rush Foundation Hospital
St. Dominic Jackson Memorial Hospital
Simpson General Hospital
Singing River Hospital
South Central Regional Medical Center
Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center
The Specialty Hospital of Meridian
University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Mississippi Medical Center-Grenada
Winston Medical Center
A new patient is added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes and an average of 22 people die each day awaiting a lifesaving transplant that never comes. In 2014, Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency recovered 198 organs for transplant from 61 donors. There were also 218 tissue donors. Currently there are nearly 1,500 Mississippians on the organ transplant waiting list with over 1,300 of those waiting on a kidney transplant. MORA wants everyone to know one organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can save or improve the lives of 50 recipients or more. Join the 709,000+ Mississippians who are currently on the MS Donor Registry by registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor at www.donatelifems.org.
For more information on the MORA please go to www.msora.org.
