Donate Life: How Organ Donation is Saving Lives
At CRMH's Level 1 Trauma Center, we witness firsthand the impact of organ donation during life’s most critical moments. Our commitment extends beyond emergency care to educating donors and their families and fostering thoughtful conversations that support informed decisions about organ donation.
This dedication was recognized in 2024, when LifeNet Health recognized CRMH for “Most Lives Saved Through Deceased Organ Donation.”
- 2025: 30 organ donors from CRMH resulted in 74 lives saved in 19 different states, as far as California.
- 2026 (year to date): 8 donors have resulted in 10 lives saved.
Earlier this month, Mayor Joe Cobb officially proclaimed April 2026 as Donate Life Month in the City of Roanoke—calling on every resident to talk with their loved ones about donation and to register as an organ donor through the Department of Motor Vehicles or at DonateLifeVirginia.org.
Annual Celebration of Life and Donor Recognition
On Friday, April 17, we hosted a Celebration of Life reception honoring organ donors and the families whose generosity continues to save and transform lives. The event provided a meaningful opportunity to remember those who donated and to honor their families who were part of that decision.
The Dr. Robert L.A. Keeley Healing Arts Program provided soothing music and interactive art experiences for attendees, including individual pieces that will later come together to form a mosaic butterfly for display.
Kidney Transplant Program
Nearly 5,000 people in our region are living with advanced kidney disease—the highest number in Virginia. For many, a kidney transplant offers the best chance at a longer, healthier life. That opportunity is made possible through the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which matches donor organs with patients in need.
With the generosity of deceased donors, kidney transplant services will be available locally at Carilion Clinic beginning this summer, bringing life-saving care closer to home. The program is led by Dr. David Salzberg and supported by a multidisciplinary team of transplant nephrologists, surgeons, dietitians, and social workers—all working together to provide comprehensive, coordinated care throughout the transplant journey.
To learn more about the program and how to register as an organ donor, visit CarilionClinic.org/kidney.
On April 17, we held a Celebration of Life event at CRMH to honor organ donors and their families.
So far this year, 8 donors at CRMH have resulted in 10 lives saved.
A new kidney transplant program will begin this summer so patients in our communities can receive care closer to home.
