SOUTHWICK – A Donate for Life Ceremony was held in the lobby of the Southwick Town Hall on Tuesday evening and people throughout the community gathered to honor Susan Sanders, who passed away in February.
Sanders was a resident in town and an active part of the community. Sanders’ husband, Kirk, is a Sergeant on the Southwick Police Department and ran the Citizens Police Academy, and Susan helped her husband organize and run the program. She was also heavily involved in the town’s D.A.R.E. program.
Sanders, who had a heart transplant in 2008, became an avid member of Donate for Life by volunteering and organizing past ceremonies in town.
Several people in the community gathered for the Donate Life Ceremony on Tuesday night at the Southwick Town Hall. (Photo courtesy of Greg Fitzpatrick)
Sharon Alexander of Donate for Life, and Caitlyn Bernabucci of New England Donor Services, organized the event.
“It really is an honor to be here for Susan,” said Bernabucci when speaking to the crowd. “It’s so important to consider being a registered tissue donor.”
According to statistics from Donate for Life of America, there were more than 33,600 transplants in 2016 that brought renewed life to patients and their families. More than 116,000 men, women, and children are still waiting for an organ transplant. It’s also noted that another person is added to the country’s organ transplant waiting list every 10 minutes.
Alexander, who has volunteered with Donate for Life for nine years now, spent a number of years working with Sanders in the organization.
“This was a great turnout,” said Alexander. “She would be very proud of this.”
Family members of Susan Sanders raise the Donate for Life flag outside the Southwick Town Hall. (Photo courtesy of Greg Fitzpatrick)
After Bernabucci and Alexander were finished speaking, Select Board Chairman Doug Moglin gave a Select Board proclamation. The proclamation deemed April 3, 2018 as Susan Sanders Day and officially named April, Donate for Life month in Southwick.
Sanders husband, Kirk, was overwhelmed with the amount of people that showed up in memory of his wife and saw the positive impact that she had on many of the individuals in attendance.
“She would have been very pleased,” said Sanders. “All these people here, she’s touched.”
Once everyone was done speaking, Sanders and his family went outside to raise the Donate for Life flag in front of town hall.
Donate for Life helps promote National Donate for Life month in April. Every state across the nation has their own OPO (Organ Procurement Organization) as Donate for Life represents Massachusetts.
