CentraState Medical Center has been honored with the 2022 Workplace Partnership for Life Platinum Award for its organ and tissue donation awareness program from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Platinum Award is the highest accolade granted by HRSA to hospitals who promote organ and tissue donation among their community and hospital. CentraState coordinates its outreach efforts with NJ Sharing Network, the nonprofit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State.

“CentraState is proud to be recognized by HRSA for our ongoing partnership with NJ Sharing Network to save and enhance lives through organ donation and transplantation,” said Laurie Gambardella, MSN, RN, CentraState Executive Director for Specialty Services. “There are nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents currently waiting for a life-saving transplant and we continue to raise awareness and remind our community that registering as an organ and tissue donor can help bring the gift of life to others.”

Throughout the past year, CentraState conducted multiple awareness and registry activities to encourage new donor registrations. CentraState team members wore blue and green in April to show their support and celebrate those touched by organ donation. In addition, activities included both in-person and online campaigns to reach internal and external audiences.

The recognition is part of HRSA’s Workplace Partnership for Life initiative, launched in August 2014, which connects organ and tissue donation organizations with hospitals to create ongoing awareness and registry campaigns to educate team members, patients, visitors and community members.