We Are Sharing Hope SC (SHSC), South Carolina’s federally designated Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), has been recognized by LifeNet Health for their Most Improved HOPE Award. This prestigious recognition is awarded to industry leaders who have showcased high-quality outcomes in the field of tissue recovery, supporting LifeNet Health’s mission of saving lives, restoring health, and giving hope worldwide.
“Our team is honored to be recognized as a 2024 Hope Award recipient by LifeNet Health,” said David DeStefano, President & CEO of SHSC. “This award underscores our team’s efforts to consistently raise the bar, ensuring an environment of excellence as we advocate for tissue recovery throughout our communities.”
“While organ donation is the matter of life and death, the gift of tissue, such as skin, bone, and tendons, can dramatically improve the quality of life through a wide range of restorative life-enhancing benefits,” said Krystal Cau, Director of Communications at SHSC. “As we continue to bring awareness and advocate for tissue donation, we strive to continuously improve our operational efforts, ensuring these advancements strengthen our ability to inspire others to become registered donors.”
In 2024, SHSC moved up 20 spots in the Top Performer rankings and 24 spots in the Quality & Excellence rankings. Key contributors include a significant improvement in the recovery rate of costal cartilage, the rib cartilage structures that connect the ribs to the sternum. SHSC also received the lowest recovery error rate for treating major blood vessels in the thigh area. The organization was also able to facilitate more tissue grafts for orthopedic and spinal procedures to promote bone growth utilizing ViviGen, a branded cellular bone matrix product.
These procedural advancements highlight We Are Sharing Hope SC’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence to heal and save more lives through the gift of organ, eye, and tissue donation.