Join the fifth annual National Tree of Life event
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Donate Life America (DLA) invite the public to join the National Tree of Life virtual event to honor and remember this year’s organ, eye and tissue donors and their families.
The National Tree of Life ceremony will take place on December 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The annual event honors the legacy of donors in each state who gave the gift of life in 2024 and celebrates the tens of thousands of lives they saved. The event will be live streamed on Donate Life America’s Facebook page.
As part of this year’s ceremony, the winner of the annual Lisa Schaffner Community Advocate Award will be announced. The award recognizes those who go above and beyond to promote organ donation. The award is named after Lisa Schaffner, a powerful advocate of donation and transplant and former UNOS employee, who passed away in 2021.
The ceremony will feature speakers from DLA, UNOS and the organ donation and transplant community, including:
- Jan Flanders, a tissue recipient and family member of an organ donor
- Sam Dey, a heart recipient
- Samuel and Susan Kirton, a double lung recipient and a caregiver
Each year, the Tree of Life ceremony recognizes the lives and gifts of more than 20,000 organ donors – and tens of thousands of cornea and tissue donors – and their families, while also celebrating the lives of recipients across the country. Volunteers with connections to donation and transplant will honor donors from each state by hanging ornaments on the trees of life and lighting candles of remembrance.
“The Tree of Life event is a moving reminder of the tremendous loss, bravery and joy that organ donation and transplant bring, and the ripple effect it has on each of us,” said Maureen McBride, Ph.D., CEO of UNOS. “We are thankful for those who have given the gift of life and for their courageous families.”
“As we honor donors and donor families from this year during the National Tree of Life ceremony, we also recognize and celebrate the enduring legacy of lifesaving generosity of all donors and donor families who have given the gift of life in past years,” said David Fleming, DLA president and CEO. “We hope the Tree of Life ceremony helps provide community and solace.”
Watch the event on the National Tree of Life Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/18T7djHSUJ/.
For more information about organ, eye and tissue donation and how to register to be a donor, visit donatelife.net.
About UNOS
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a nonprofit organization that serves the organ donation and transplant system and broader public health community through its work developing new technologies and initiatives, conducting data-driven research and analysis, providing expert consulting services, advocating for patients, and being a leader in bringing communities together to save lives.
About Donate Life America
Donate Life America (DLA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization leading its national partners and Donate Life State Teams to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues available to save and heal lives. DLA owns, manages and promotes Donate Life℠, the national logo and brand for the cause of donation; motivates the public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors; provides education about living donation; owns and manages the National Donate Life Registry at RegisterMe.org and develops and executes effective multi-media campaigns to promote donation.
