With butterflies poised for flight and a lobby filled with
reflection, gratitude and quiet hope, St. Tammany Health System on Tuesday
joined the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) to mark National Donate
Life Month with a symbolic release honoring organ donors.
The brief ceremony began inside St. Tammany Parish Hospital,
where leaders, clinicians, donor families and transplant recipients gathered to
remember those whose final gift gave others a second chance at life. Guests
later moved outside, where butterflies were released in tribute – a simple but
powerful gesture reflecting both loss and renewal.
“We are gathered today to reflect, to remember and, most
importantly, to celebrate,” STHS Chief Nursing Officer Kerry Milton said. “We
honor – with gratitude – the donors who gave the gift of life and, through that
selfless act, offered hope to so many others.”
The event also highlighted the ongoing need for donation.
More than 100,000 people nationwide – including nearly 2,000 in Louisiana – are
currently awaiting transplants, underscoring the life-changing impact of each
donor’s decision.
Tuesday’s gathering concluded outside, with the raising of a
LOPA flag in front of the hospital and the release itself, which sent butterflies
into the spring sky – a visible reminder of lives remembered, lives saved and
the enduring power of generosity.
Learn more about organ donation at LOPA.org, and scroll down for more pictures from Tuesday’s gathering.