U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medal of Honor for Organ Donation

On Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin was presented with a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medal of Honor for Organ Donation for achieving and sustaining an organ donor conversion rate of 75 percent or more for eligible donors, meaning three-fourths of the people who were eligible to become organ donors did so. The national average is 60 percent.

CHW was one of 392 hospitals in the nation recognized for its success in increasing organ donation rates. The awards were presented at the Third National Learning Congress on Organ Donation and Transplantation held in Nashville, Tenn.

"CHW has consistently had above-average donation rates," said Mike Conway, director of Pulmonary and Transplant Services. "This is the first time the Health Resources and Services Administration and the United Network for Organ Sharing are publicly recognizing the success of hospitals such as ours. It is one more way to shine a light on the importance of organ donation."

Nationwide, more than 97,000 patients are on waiting lists for organ transplants. Nearly 1,500 of these patients live in Wisconsin. If you wish to be an organ donor, sign the back of your driver's license and discuss your wishes with your family.