Eight-year-old Gus Beard of Northwood raises the Donate Life flag outside UTMC on Wednesday, April 2, in honor of National Donate Life Month. His father, Mike Beard, right, and Jeff Russell, assistant manager of hospital security, left, helped him raise the flag.
The annual event, held in partnership with Life Connection of Ohio, highlights the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation and honors those who have saved and improved the lives of others through donation.
Beard, who received a cornea transplant when he was five months old after suffering a corneal ulcer when he was five weeks old, was one of this year’s featured guests.
“We just take every opportunity we have to help bring awareness to organ eye and tissue donation,” said his mother, Katie Beard. “It’s an important cause for us, and we were very honored to be here today.”
UToledo Health operates northwest Ohio’s only organ transplant program. UTMC performed 191 kidney transplants last year and has completed more than 40 transplants so far this year, including its first kidney-pancreas transplant in February.
Gus Beard, who is joined by parents Mike and Katie Beard, was one of this year’s featured guests at this year’s in a Donate Life flag-raising ceremony Wednesday at UTMC.
