MARION – OhioHealth Marion General Hospital’s Joel Provenzano, MD, has been named Physician of the Year by Lifeline of Ohio.
Under his guidance, Marion General has signed on to restart the hospital’s donation council.
“Dr. Provenzano has gone above and beyond on several donation cases to honor the donor’s decision to give gifts after their passing,” said Lauren Stevens, manager of Community Outreach for Lifeline of Ohio. “He is compassionate and engaging with donor families and fulfills Lifeline of Ohio’s mission in any way he possibly can.”
“When you work in a field where you are constantly confronting your own mortality, you look for hope in every situation. What better way to see that tangibly than for new life to spring forward almost immediately? Organ donation provides that hope of renewal,” said Provenzano, a Galena resident.
In 2019, OhioHealth Marion General and Lifeline of Ohio facilitated the gift of organ donation for three donor heroes saving nine lives, and 12 individuals gave the healing gift of tissue donation, impacting more than 900 people.
In 2020, OhioHealth Marion General and Lifeline of Ohio facilitated the gift of organ donation for 15 donor heroes, saving 18 lives. This is a 50% increase in the number of lives saved over the previous year. In addition, five people gave the healing gift of tissue donation, potentially impacting more than 375 people in need of a healing graft.
“We are so proud of the growth of this program at Marion General,” said Curt Gingrich, MD, president of Marion General Hospital. “There is no greater gift than the gift of life and having Dr. Provenzano and other providers support the program has been really meaningful to our staff and community.”
In Ohio, more than 3,100 people – approximately 700 in central Ohio – are waiting for an organ transplant, and hundreds more await tissue and corneal transplants. A single donor potentially can save the lives of eight people and restore the lives of more than 75 by donating vital organs (heart, two lungs, two kidneys, liver, pancreas and small bowel) and tissue (corneas, bone, fascia, skin, veins and heart valves).
Ohioans may declare their wish to become a donor by registering online through www.lifelineofohio.org. Additionally, individuals may declare their decision when at the BMV, or by completing a donor registry enrollment form by calling 800-525-5667.
