Westerly Hospital joins New England Donor Services to celebrate Donate Life Month

Westerly, RI (April 25, 2025) ꟷ Westerly Hospital partnered with New England Donor Services during the month of April to celebrate National Donate Life Month. This month-long celebration includes local, regional and national activities designed to inspire people in the US to register as organ and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of donation. 

The hospital and NEDS hosted a flag raising on Friday, April 25 at noon at Westerly Hospital, 25 Wells Street, Westerly. Speakers included: Richard Lisitano, President of Westerly Hospital and Executive Vice President of Yale New Haven Health; Kenny Laferriere, Hospital Donation Strategist, New England Donor; and Carrie Kenyon, Executive Director, Westerly Hospital, on behalf of Roberta Curry, wife of Westerly Hospital organ donor.

“More than 100,000 patients are on the U.S. wait list for a lifesaving organ transplant, but there are simply not enough organ donors to meet the growing need,” said Oliver Mayorga, MD, chief medical officer. “Opportunities for organ donation are rare. Fewer than 2% of deaths each year meet the medical eligibility to become donors. This is why it is so important for us all to recognize the need and to register as donors.” 

A single organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and transform the lives of as many as 75 more by donating corneas, skin and other tissue. In 2024, there were 16,989 deceased organ donors, making it the 14th consecutive record-breaking year for deceased organ donations in the US. New England Donor Services reports the number of deceased organ donations in the New England region has increased by 80 percent since 2020.

National Donate Life Month recognizes the generosity of those who have saved and healed lives by becoming donors, while also highlighting the critical need for more people to register as donors.

Yale New Haven Transplantation Center (YNHTC) is a destination center for patients from around the world who are candidates for liver, kidney and heart transplantation. Learn more about organ donation at Yale New Haven Health.

Individuals may register at their local motor vehicle office, on their iPhone health app or online at RegisterMe.org. 

Westerly Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a 125-bed hospital that has been providing residents of southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services in a community hospital setting for more than 90 years. Westerly Hospital patients receive the finest quality treatment in the following areas of care: emergency, medical, surgical, radiology, laboratory and rehabilitative services. The hospital also offers heart and vascular care, interventional pain management, wound care, pulmonary rehabilitation services, inpatient geriatric psychiatric care and comprehensive cancer care provided through the Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center. All inpatient rooms are private. westerlyhospital.org