MADISON, Wis. (WSAU) — Organ donors and their families were honored in a ceremony Friday in Madison. The Gift of Life Medal Ceremony was hosted at the Executive Residence by Governor Scott Walker and First Lady Tonette Walker.
The 23rd annual event pays tribute to the many who have donated, and the nearly 3 million Wisconsinites who have registered as future organ donors.
Walker says, “The choice to save lives in the midst of enormous loss is an incredibly selfless one, and I’m proud to say Wisconsinites are among the most generous in the nation. The hundreds of lives saved by the family members of people here today is a reminder of how valuable those selfless acts are.”
Those in attendance at the ceremony include 305 family members representing 72 organ donors. The organ donations saved 685 lives.
It is coordinated and funded by the UW Organ and Tissue Donation and the Wisconsin Donor Network.
