As a mother who lost a young child, Holly provides valuable insight as part of Mid-America Transplant’s Family Support Team. Her compassion and understanding are a light in the darkness for families going through the most difficult moments of their lives. After her 22-month-old son died in a drowning accident, Holly watched a Path of Honor video on social media. This impactful moment motivated her to apply for a position as a Family Support Coordinator at Mid-America Transplant.
“I go out and talk with families when they are making end of life decisions and help them understand the opportunity for carrying on that person’s legacy through organ donation,” she said.
What is an Honor Walk?
Holly says the tradition of the Path of Honor has taken off in recent years, in part due to growing awareness through social media. “A Path of Honor is a way for us to pay respect and honor that patient and their family,” she said.
Each hospital has its own protocols, but the general process remains the same. A patient’s family has honored their loved one's decision or has made the heroic choice of organ and tissue donation. If that patient has died in a way that allows for donation, the process for recovering the organs and tissues for transplant is initiated. Some organs, like the kidney, go on a pump while others must be transplanted within a limited number of hours. Being an organ and tissue donor doesn’t impact funeral arrangements or cost the donor family anything.
Families of donor heroes make the voluntary decision to have their loved ones participate in an Honor Walk, typically after working with someone like Holly from an organ procurement organization (OPO).
“A Path of Honor at our hospital is decided by the families of the patients who are giving the gift of life to others,” said Holly. “It’s discussed with the families after we have authorization for donation. We walk them through the process of what will happen, and our family support coordinators will ask them if a path of honor is something the family would like.”
At the appointed time, a notification is given to those in the hospital that an organ and tissue donor is about to be taken to the operating room for the recovery of that patient’s gifts. Hospital staff line the hallway outside the donor’s door and along the route to the operating room. Family and friends accompany the donor on the Path of Honor, as everyone assembled in the hallways pays tribute to the donor and their generous final act.
Holly is always moved by the tradition. “As a mom who has lost a child, it means a lot to see people honoring that loved one and their family,” she said. “As parents who are losing a child or have lost a child, our biggest fear is that they will not be remembered. This is a statement from so many others that your loved one will not be forgotten.”
In addition to providing a measure of comfort to the family of the donor, it also gives doctors, nurses, and support staff a moment to say goodbye to the patient they have taken care of, sometimes for extended periods.
“I feel like everyone from the hospital and our team uses this as a giant group hug for this family. Honor walks are very emotional for the families. They are also emotional for us and the hospital staff. It’s a way to honor these amazing people during this selfless act,” she added.
Honor Walks help raise awareness about organ donation
When Honor Walks are shared on social media, it can elicit a range of powerful emotions. For Holly, it led her to choose a new career path in the field of organ donation.
“I think it affected me because it was such respect, honor, compassion, sadness, and hope all in one,” she said. Honor Walks remind her of the legacy left by her little boy who passed away long before his time.
“Organ, eye, and tissue donation is a silver lining, a spark of hope, and something that will carry families forward. In your world of sadness and grief, it gives you a reason to feel like you're doing good and that there's something positive,” she said.
Honor Walks help promote organ and tissue donation by celebrating the heroes who have chosen to donate life. They also remind us of the importance of signing up to be organ and tissue donors. It’s a simple act that takes only minutes, but it could mean the difference between life and death for a patient waiting for a miracle. Please consider registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor today.