DCH Regional Medical Center has been honored by the Alabama Organ Center and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its dedication to organ and tissue donation.

DCH is one of 13 hospitals to receive the AOC's Gift of Life Award in recognition of the hospital's efforts to educate staff and the public about organ donation. The hospital took part in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services campaign to increase enrollment in state organ donor registries.

Chris Meeks, Executive Director Alabama Organ Center, said that 25 lives were saved from nine donors at DCH last year and tissue donations from 11 Donor Heroes from DCH helped up to 1,100 people. Today, over 115,000 men, women and children in the United States, including 2,200 in Alabama, are on the organ transplant waiting list. About 22 people die each day because an organ does not become available in time.