MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Bright pinwheels dotted the lawn at OhioHealth Marion General Hospital on Monday, April 13, 2026, as hospital leaders and local families gathered to celebrate the lasting impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation.
In recognition of National Donate Life Month, the hospital partnered with Lifeline of Ohio to host its annual flag-raising ceremony. The event served as a tribute to donors, transplant recipients, and the families whose decisions have created legacies of healing.
“Donor families and their extraordinary gifts remind us why we do this work,” said Jim Parobek, president of OhioHealth Marion General Hospital and OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital. “We are proud to honor their legacies and the lasting impact they have on our patients, our hospital, and the community.”
Over the past decade, the hospital has supported 21 organ donors and 89 tissue donors, according to Janelle Hafer, RN, the hospital’s liaison for organ and tissue donation. A single organ donor can save up to eight lives, while tissue donation can heal as many as 75 people.
The ceremony featured emotional remarks from sisters Jodie Haas and Nikki Malo, who spoke about their mother, Kathy, an organ donor.
“In the midst of the worst days we’ve ever faced, our mom gave something really special; a gift to people she had never met,” Haas said. “She gave them more mornings, more birthdays, more random Tuesday afternoons none of us fully appreciate until we’re at risk of losing someone we love.”
The event also highlighted the hospital’s first full year supporting Lifeline of Ohio’s placenta donation program, which helps patients with burns and complex wounds. Since the program’s inception, Marion General has supported three placenta donations.
The ceremony concluded with a moment of silence and the raising of the Donate Life flag.
“The flag is a symbol of hope, unity, and healing,” said Charity Coffman, RN, director of nursing. “It represents our commitment to supporting donor families, providing exceptional care to donors, and inspiring conversations that may one day save a life.”