Gift of Hope Receives Generous Donation from Village of Broadview

ITASCA, Ill. (December 5, 2017) – Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network was awarded a donation totaling more than $800 by the Broadview Fire Department and Village of Broadview at a ceremony on Dec. 4, 2017.

During the annual McHero fundraising and public safety event, hosted by the Village of Broadview, McDonalds, the Broadview Police Department and the Broadview Fire Department, area non-profit organizations are identified to be receive of a portion of the proceeds raised at the event. The Broadview Police Department selected the Special Olympics as their beneficiary and the Broadview Fire Department selected Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network.

“Selecting Gift of Hope was a natural choice,” said Broadview Fire Chief, Tracy Kenny. “Organ and tissue donation is something that touches every community, including our great Village of Broadview.”

Currently, a Broadview Village Trustee is waiting for an organ transplant that could save her life. Chief Kenny also says the decision to choose Gift of Hope held deep personal ties to her. Kenny’s father, Jim Kenny, passed away in 2012 after a long battle with a rare kidney disease. “Although my father was not well enough to make it to a transplant waiting list, I know that organ donation has the potential to help so many others in need,” said Kenny. “Thanks to the Gift of Hope, people can easily register to become organ and tissue donors and give the gift of hope to others who my benefit from a lifesaving transplant.”

Broadview Mayor Katrina R. Thompson agrees. "I was very excited when Fire Chief Tracy Kenny, announced that the proceeds from the public safety McHero event that was held in October would contribute to the Gift of Hope. It's a blessing when local government can partner with organizations such as the Gift of Hope. This gives the residents in the Village of Broadview an opportunity to have a resource in the time of need. I encourage our residents to become an organ donor, because I am."

Upon receiving the generous donation, Kevin Cmunt, CEO/president of Gift of Hope stated, “I am so grateful to the Village of Broadview and the Broadview Fire Department for their continued commitment and support of organ and tissue donation. At Gift of Hope, we provide organ and tissue procurement services to hundreds of donor families each year. However, despite procuring a record number of organs in 2017, more than 4,700 people in Illinois are still waiting for the organ or tissue transplant that can save or improve their lives.”

This generous donation will go to enhancing Gift of Hope programs and raising awareness for organ and tissue donation throughout Gift of Hope’s service area of 12 million residents in Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

About Gift of Hope

Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization entrusted by the nation’s health care system with coordinating organ and tissue donation and providing donor family services and public education in Illinois and northwest Indiana. Gift of Hope works with 180 hospitals and serves 12 million residents in its donation service area. Celebrating its 30th year as an OPO in 2017, it has coordinated donations that have saved the lives of more than 25,000 organ transplant recipients and improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of tissue transplant recipients. For more information about Gift of Hope and organ and tissue donation, visit giftofhope.org.