When tragedy extinguishes one life, it provides a gateway to help countless others.

That was the case when Susan Hebert’s 20-year-old son Richard passed away nearly nine years ago. After spending a few days not feeling well, Richard succumbed to complications from diabetes while Susan was at work. Nothing could have prepared her for the grief she experienced after finding her son’s lifeless body at home or the thought of having to bury her child – especially because neither of them even knew he was diabetic. Her grief was eased after a call from the Donor Network of Arizona, when she realized that her son’s “gentle giant” spirit could help others in need. Richard’s gift either gave life or enhanced the lives of 27 people through skin, ligament, and tendon and bone donation. Today, Susan is not only a huge supporter of organ donation, but carries the banner for the cause by volunteering her time at Donate Life.

Susan’s story is an example of the lifesaving miracles medical professionals at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital see every day.

“One organ and tissue donor can save and heal up to 50 lives,” said Amanda Burlock, a nurse and clinical educator handling the registration drive at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital.

Passionate about the cause having seen the impact of organ donation first hand at a Mesa hospital previously while working in the ICU, Amanda helped Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital host a “Health Care for Hope – One Big Day” campaign during National Donate Life Month to share information about organ and tissue donation with employees, patients, friends and families and provide an opportunity to register. The initial drive resulted in 29 people registering to help save and heal lives. But there is still work to be done.

That’s why Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital is calling on the public to lend their support by registering at https://www.liveonaz.org/stories/stlukes.

In Arizona, more than 2.7 million people are already registered as organ and tissue donors. But with more than 123,000 men, women and children in the U.S. waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, the need is great to find matches. Of this national number, more than 2,400 are Arizonans.