Being an organ donor is a subject that most people only think about when applying for a driver’s license or sometimes under pressure in a traumatic situation. Education and awareness is the key in promoting this truly great gift.
McAlester Regional Health Center is proud to be a leader in spreading news, providing organ donor leave policies for employees, and developing a memorial site for organ transplant donors and recipients.
MRHC was recognized as the first hospital in Oklahoma to give its employees paid time off for organ and bone marrow donation. The Organ Donation Leave policy for MRHC offers paid benefits for full time or regular part time employees who have worked at MRHC for 12 consecutive months. Employees choosing to be a living organ donor are eligible for up to 30 days paid time off and those donating bone marrow are eligible for up to 5 days.
More than 87,000 people in the United States are waiting for organ or tissue donation and more than 550 people in Oklahoma are waiting for this precious gift. A number of our community members have also been touched by organ and tissue donations. Established in 2005, the Gift of Life Memorial Garden confirms our belief in the precious gift of life and honors those who seek to save it. Located at the front entrance of the hospital, the garden commemorates both organ and tissue donors and recipients.
For additional information about becoming a donor, visit Life Share Oklahoma.