Midwest Transplant Network staff members recognize their partners in saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation by presenting the annual Excellence in Donation Awards to hospitals, individuals and organizations in our community.

Based on 2022 donation outcomes, Midwest Transplant Network presents the Excellence in Organ and Tissue Donation Awards to hospitals that had a higher-than-average number of families granting authorization for donation. The organization also gives these awards to exceptional partners in hospitals; licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue offices; medical examiner officers; funeral homes and beyond. These individuals made an extraordinary contribution to Midwest Transplant Network’s lifesaving mission.

To recognize these achievements, Midwest Transplant Network provided honored hospitals and individuals with an original piece of art created by Marlene Lewis. “Hope Takes Flight” showcases the transformative power of hope and the metamorphosis that occurs when someone is given a second chance at life. Vertically, the painting is an hourglass; horizontally, it becomes a butterfly. The idea of an hourglass transforming into a butterfly serves as a metaphor for the process of anticipation and the moment when one can soar.

Midwest Transplant Network collaborates with 250 hospitals and would like to recognize the following:

Organ and tissue excellence

•   AdventHealth Shawnee Mission
•   Boone Health
•   Capital Region Medical Center
•   Hutchinson Regional Medical Center
•   Kansas Medical Center
•   Liberty Hospital
•   Menorah Medical Center
•   Mercy Hospital Joplin
•   Overland Park Regional Medical Center
•   Research Medical Center
•   Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City
•   Saint Luke’s North Hospital – Barry Road
•   The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus
• University Hospital, University of Missouri Health Care

Organ excellence

•   Children’s Mercy Kansas City
•   Freeman Health System
•   Mercy Hospital Lebanon
•   Moberly Regional Medical Center
•   University Health Lakewood Medical Center

Tissue excellence

•   LMH Health Hospital
•   Mosaic Life Care
•   Olathe Medical Center
•   Saint Luke’s East Hospital
•   St. Mary’s Medical Center

Individual and group honorees

•   James L. Cook, DVM, PhD, OTSC Missouri Orthopaedic Institute
•   Rev. Becky Crouse, DMin, MDiv, BCC, and Rev. Josh Morris, PhD, MDiv, BCC, Children’s Mercy Kansas City
•   Freeman Health System Donor Council
•   Linda Isaac, Midwest Transplant Network Ambassador
•   Jackson County Treasurer’s Office
•   Ashish Kulhari, MD, Research Medical Center
•   Darryl Nelson, MD, Centerpoint Medical Center
•   The Nickerson family
•   Yvette Richards, DMin, St. James United Methodist Church
•   Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick, Jewish Family Services
•   Jim Walker, MD, Ascension Via Christi St. Francis

Request a program to learn more about our partnership with area hospitals.