SHELTON, WA – On Aug. 10, 2020, LifeNet Health recognized Mason General Hospital for its outstanding support for the gift of tissue donation. Mason General Hospital received the Washington Critical Access Hospital of the Year Award, which is given to hospital partners for outstanding collaboration and commitment to achieve and sustain high standards in support of the donation process through education, leadership, outreach and activities.

“We are honored to receive the Critical Access Hospital of the Year Award,” said Mason Health Chief Nursing Officer Melissa Strong, RN. “LifeNet Health is a wonderful partner. They have provided education to our staff, and even offer caregiver ‘burn out’ courses to support health care workers, which is especially appreciated during the pandemic. Mason Health believes tissue donation is an incredible gift patients can offer. We do everything we can to help facilitate the donations.”

One tissue donor can help restore health to more than 150 patients in need, according to LifeNet Health. Hospital and community partners are an essential part of the donation process and are crucial to ensuring that a donor and their family’s final wishes to help others are honored.

LifeNet Health helps save lives, restore health, and give hope to thousands each year. It is the world's most trusted provider of transplant solutions — from organ and tissue procurement to bio-implants and cellular therapies — and a leader in regenerative medicine, while always honoring the donors and health care professionals who enable healing. For more information about LifeNet Health, go to www.lifenethealth.org.

To sign up as a donor or learn more about donation, visit RegisterMe.org. August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month, a collaborative initiative of the National Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Multicultural Action Group to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye and tissue donation. National Minority Donor Awareness Month stems from National Minority Donor Awareness Week, founded in 1996 by the National MOTTEP to bring heightened awareness to donation and transplantation in multicultural communities – focusing primarily on African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native communities.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), transplants can be successful regardless of the race or ethnicity of the donor and recipient. The chance of longer-term survival may be greater if the donor and recipient are closely matched in terms of their shared genetic background. Becoming an organ and tissue donor is one of the most selfless decisions a person can make. Learn more at https://www.donatelife.net/nmdam/.

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County, is certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. Mason Health now offers 3D Mammography Services. For more information on 3D mammograms or to find a health care provider, visit www.MasonGeneral.com.