Healthcare Heroes: Honoring all of Those Working to Save Lives

In our line of work within the healthcare industry, we have always been thankful for healthcare workers and their passion and dedication to help others and save lives. Now, amidst these challenging times, we have even more respect and gratitude for what they do every day.

They are working tirelessly on the front lines, even when that means putting themselves in harms ways, and for some, staying away from their own families. While it seems like there are not enough words to thank them, we pause today to recognize and honor all the healthcare heroes in Colorado and Wyoming for their commitment to keeping our communities safe and healthy.

Acts of kindness performed in honor of others

During the last few weeks, we have seen Coloradans and Wyomingites performing acts of kindness for others and extending a helping hand knowing that we need it now more than ever. We were overwhelmed by all the acts of kindness and appreciation shown for healthcare workers in local communities. We know that Colorado and Wyoming are two of the most giving states when it comes to signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. And, we discovered last month that this giving spirit extends to honoring and thanking our local healthcare workers for all they do. From howling at 8pm each night, to delivering lunches, to making masks, and chalking hospital sidewalks, the acts of kindness were creative, heartfelt and inspiring to many healthcare workers.

“I love seeing all the support for my fellow nurses, healthcare workers, Thank you all so much. Keep it up. It raises our spirits in a time of chaos.” Said a nurse from Wyoming about the howling that takes place in her community every night.

Before, during and after the current COVID-19 pandemic, donation and transplantation healthcare workers, including Donor Alliance staff, continue to fight to save lives in another public health crisis. The need for a lifesaving organ transplants affect nearly 113,000 Americans currently on the waiting list and there are thousands more in need of healing tissue and cornea transplants that enable them to live full lives.

We invite you to join us in saying thank you to all the healthcare heroes. Here a few ways to share your gratitude:

• Recognizing healthcare workers on social media: Do you have a special healthcare worker in your life? Tag them on social media and surprise him/her with a special message of appreciation or share a note thanking all healthcare workers for all they do.

• Reach out and offer to help: Make a list of people you know who work on the healthcare frontlines and offer help. They might need help shopping for groceries during stores new pandemic hours, picking up mail or watching/walking their pets.
• Celebrate National Nurses Week (May 6-12) by tagging a nurse: Follow Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming on Facebook and on May 6, we will post a recognition of National Nurses Day. You will have 24 hours to tag a special nurse in your life in the comments of that post. Then we will surprise your nominated nurse with a little gift of gratitude!

To all the healthcare workers, those heroes that work around the clock to save our brothers, mothers, fathers, sisters, grandfathers and friends: THANK YOU. We recognize and honor all the work you do, today and always.

Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org. We invite you to consider signing up to be an organ eye and tissue donor in honor of a special healthcare professional in your life.

“They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

~ Maya Angelou