Annual flag raising ceremony for Donate Life Month

Riverside, CA – Riverside Community Hospital (RCH) hosted a special flag raising ceremony today, in partnership with One Legacy, to honor those who have given the ultimate gift of life by being organ and tissue donors. In the state of California, there are 21,371 people who are on the organ waiting list, 18,635 of which are waiting for a kidney. According to One Legacy, Riverside Community Hospital is the largest supplier of organ and tissue donors in the Inland Empire. RCH is also the only transplant center in the county.

Adam Rudd, Chief Executive Officer, Riverside Community Hospital, welcomed everyone and shared why Riverside Community Hospital participates in Donate Life Month. “During April, hospitals across the nation celebrate Donate Life Month to honor donors, their families and raise awareness,” said Adam. “I would like to thank all of our organ donor families for their courage and noble acts of selflessness. In the mist of heartache and tragedy, sometimes unexpected and traumatic, finding hope in helping someone else can bring courage and strength.”

Javier Munoz, Manager of Donation and Hospital Development for Riverside and San Bernardino County at One Legacy, spoke about how the Riverside Community Hospital and One Legacy partner to being hope to families in need. “There were 20 families at RCH in 2022 that made the selfless decision to give the gift organ donation,” said Javier. “In the past 5 years, 295 lives have been saved by organ donation at RCH. That’s 103 families that said yes to helping someone in need of a lifesaving organ.”

One Legacy Ambassador, Kat Mantz, shared her story of her son, Chris, who passed away and was able to give the gift of life to 5 people, including 2 other children, through organ donation. “And while we lost our Chris, seeing how his death was not in vain, truly showed us how he continues to live in the people he saved,” said Kat.

The ceremony concluded with the Riverside Fire Department and Riverside Community Hospital Public Safety department raising the Donate Life Flag. The flag will fly the month of April to honor those who have given the gift of life.

Other speakers at the event included Sally Urquiza, Director, Comprehensive Transplant Center and Sameh Fayek, MD, Transplant Surgeon. Both spoke to how it takes a whole team, of coordinators, nurses, technicians, surgeons, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, financial analysts and more to treat, heal and help our transplant patients. “We help give hope to those who need it and we use our expertise, along with deep compassion, to give a second chance. And I am proud of be a part of a team whose main goal is to give hope,” said Dr. Fayek.

About One Legacy

OneLegacy is the non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in the seven-county greater Los Angeles area. With more than 215 hospitals, 11 transplant centers and a diverse population of nearly 20 million, OneLegacy is the largest organ, eye and tissue recovery organization in the world.