Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA) hosted the 5th Annual Spero Awards held at Hilton Jackson Tuesday, July 31, 2018. The awards ceremony recognized hospital partners, medical professionals, corporate partners and donor ambassadors who work in conjunction with MORA to promote organ, eye and tissue donation to ultimately save and heal lives. A total of 17 Spero Awards were presented to individuals and organizations from areas throughout the state. The word Spero (Spā-rō) is Latin for “hope”. The title was chosen to reflect the hope that organ and tissue donation brings to those in need of a lifesaving organ or a life healing tissue transplant.
- Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office was also presented with the Gift of Life Award for the dedication and commitment that the staff shows in helping to preserve opportunities for donation. Mississippi Lions Eye Bank (MLEB) presented the Gift of Sight Award to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and the Partners in Vision Award to Garden Park Medical Center in Gulfport, for their work in helping to facilitate sight saving corneal transplants.
- Hospital Excellence Awards were awarded to eight hospitals who have achieved national organ donation performance standards set by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services of which Garden Park Medical Center was one.
- 28 hospitals, including Garden Park Medical Center, were recognized from across the state that have enrolled in the Mississippi Hospitals for Hope campaign, which was developed to raise awareness for the need of organ, eye and tissue donation and increase registrations.