Lompoc Valley Medical Center Joins OneLegacy to Honor Donors, Recipients During Donate Life Month

Lompoc Valley Medical Center is partnering with OneLegacy during the month of April, joining thousands of hospitals and community organizations around the U.S. to celebrate National Donate Life Month. This month-long celebration includes local, regional and national activities designed to help inspire people in the U.S. to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.  

 Nationwide there are more than 100,000 people currently on waiting lists and 17 people die each day while waiting for a life-saving organ donation. 

To help facilitate organ recovery and placement, Lompoc Valley Medical Center is one of more than 200 hospitals and 9 transplant centers in Southern California who works directly with OneLegacy, the largest nonprofit organ, eye and tissue recovery organization in the world.  

At 1 p.m. on Wed. April 16, LVMC is hosting a Flag Raising ceremony, to honor organ, eye and tissue donation. A “Donate Life” flag, a symbol of unity, remembrance and hope, will be flown at LVMC during April, National Donate Life Month. The flag ceremony will take place in LVMC’s roundabout, near the hospital entrance. 

The flag is a visible and unifying statement about the importance of donation and celebrates the hundreds of thousands of donors and recipients whose lives have been affected by organ, eye and tissue donation.  

A single organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and improve the lives of as many as 75 more by donating their corneas and tissue.  More than 48,000 lifesaving transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2024, an increase of 3.3 percent from 2023. 

 “Organ, eye and tissue donation is one of the highest expressions of compassion and generosity,” said Prasad Garimella, CEO of OneLegacy, the largest organ, eye and tissue procurement organization in the U.S., serving seven counties in Southern California. “We are grateful for Lompoc Valley Medical Center to continue partnering with us to share the importance of this message, and we applaud the big-heartedness of those who save lives by becoming a donor and encourage others in our community to do the same.” 

Becoming an organ or tissue donor is easy. People may register at the local DMV or online at www.OneLegacy.org/Register.