Franciscan Health Crown Point celebrates Donate Life Month

Widow of Chicago PD organ donor, recipient share personal stories

Christine Ho figured her husband, Chicago Police Department Officer Jonathan Ho, was simply stuck late at work when he didn’t pick up their young daughter on time.

But when she got a call from her son saying police were at their home asking for her, her worst fears were realized. Her husband was hit by a car on the way home from work.

“I remember them coming to me and asking if he was an organ donor,” Ho said. “I said, ‘I don’t know.’ … Now, both my kids and myself are organ donors. It wasn’t that I wasn’t an organ donor because I didn’t believe in it.I didn’t know enough about it.”

Ho was one of the family members of organ donors, organ recipients, leadership and staff members who gathered Tuesday at Franciscan Health Crown Point for the annual Donate Life Celebration in the St. Joseph Chapel. Each year during National Donate Life Month, the hospital encourages its staff members to register as organ and tissue donors with educational registration drives, a celebration of donor recipients and a memorial Mass for those who donated to help others.

In support of the Catholic healthcare ministry’s core value of respect for life, Franciscan Health Crown Point partners with Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, Life Line Stem Cell and VisionFirst Indiana Lions Eye Bank to facilitate organ, eye, stem cell and tissue donation.

“In addition to honoring the incredible gift of life from these selfless donors, we also today want to celebrate the families and friends of those who have supported their loved ones’ decision to donate,” Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady said.

According to Donate Life Indiana, more than 1,000 Hoosiers are among more than 104,000 Americans awaiting organ transplants. In the U.S., another person is added to the transplant waiting list every nine minutes. Each day, 16 people die because a donated organ wasn’t available in time. One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of more than 75 people through tissue donation.

“It’s the support of the people like those working with us here at Franciscan Health Crown Point who help us to honor our mission to save and enhance lives through donation,” said Lauren O’Day, donation coordinator, hospital development for Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network. “National Donate Life Month allows us to celebrate and honor those who say yes.”

Amanda Hawkins, professional services/aftercare coordinator for VisionFirst Indiana Lions Eye Bank, called the donors and their family members heroes.

“These heroes had vision in a world where generosity outlives the body and hope finds its way to help not only to survive, but to shine beyond grief,” Hawkins said of the cornea donors and their families.

Franciscan Health Crown Point was the first hospital to partner with Life Line Stem Cell for its cord blood collection program 16 years ago.

“The donated tissues are used in a wide variety of treatments, from creating skin grafts for burn victims, wound care for diabetic ulcers, breast reconstruction, ocular surgeries, these donations make a difference in countless lives,” said Life Line Stem Cell Director of Hospital Development Melissa Meyer.

John Babbitt of Dyer is a two-time cancer survivor and a kidney transplant recipient. He is celebrating 10 years with his new kidney this year thanks to a gift from a living donor.

“Most people don’t really understand what you’re going through with an organ donation,” Babbitt said. “It really does change your life, but when I meet other donors or other recipients, it’s like we have an instant bond.”