The annual celebration is held the first Thursday in December and honors the generosity of organ, eye and tissue donors while also offering solace to their families who often experience a greater sense of loss during the holidays.
The program, which is streamed live on the UNOS Facebook page, provides an opportunity for families to hang an ornament of their choosing on the Tree of Life in memory of their loved ones. Many of those ornaments can be seen here. During the Tree of Life Celebration, families will hear empowering testimony from those who have made similar decisions during the last year, and those donors, as well as others who have contributed in the past, are recognized during the program. The annual celebration also includes testimonials from a transplant recipient and a waiting list candidate as well as the lighting of the Tree of Life.
The Tree of Life Celebration is held at United Network for Organ Sharing with the support of the following organizations: UNOS, Donate Life America, LifeNet Health, Inc., Old Dominion Eye Foundation, Henrico Doctors’, VCU Health and Donate Life Virginia.