The flag-raising ceremony at Piedmont Macon North is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by the Piedmont Macon Medical ceremony at noon.

Nationally, more than 100,000 people are on the transplant waiting list, and in 2025, nearly 24,000 donors gave new life to recipients and their families, according to Donate Life America, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and increasing the number of organ, eye and tissue donors. Throughout April, people are encouraged to learn more about donation through programs offered by LifeLink of Georgia (an affiliate of Donate Life America) and by registering through Georgia’s organ, eye and tissue donor registry.

Anyone can be a potential donor, regardless of age, or medical history according to LifeLink. A single donor can save up to eight lives with organ donations and make a difference in as many as 75 lives through tissue donation. Visit LifeLinkFoundation.org or call 800.544.6667 for additional information about organ and tissue donation.

Elizabeth Larkins, chief nursing officer at Piedmont Macon, is a strong advocate of organ donation. She encourages the public, including Piedmont Macon employees, to register to become donors.

“Donate Life Month is a powerful reminder that one decision can save multiple lives,” Larkins said. “Organ donation turns loss into hope and creates a lasting legacy of compassion. By registering as a donor, you have the opportunity to give others a second chance at life. There is no greater act of generosity.”

Piedmont is a leader in organ transplant surgery. When it comes to transplant surgery, patients need a proven, experienced leader they can count on to deliver unparalleled care and the best possible outcomes. Since 1986, Piedmont Transplant Institute has been recognized as one of the nation’s most successful transplant programs, performing transplant surgeries for liver, pancreas, kidney and heart recipients. In 2024 alone, the Piedmont Heart Institute performed a record-breaking 103 heart transplants. Since 2012, that number is more than 375.

Piedmont Transplant pioneered several procedures in organ transplant surgery, with its programs consistently ranking among the best in the country.

Learn how you can save a life with Piedmont Transplant's Living Donor Program by visiting Piedmont.org/Transplant.