Woonsocket names April as ‘Organ Donation Month’

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — Woonsocket Mayor Beauchamp joined representatives from New England Donor Services on Monday to encourage Rhode Islanders to register as organ donors or renew their donation status.

Rachel Drane, an organ recipient from Raynham, spoke at the meeting after receiving a liver transplant as a child nearly 30 years ago.

“I am so so grateful, and like I said, I was my parent’s first child so it must have been scary and nerve-wracking for them for how sick I was and how quickly I became so sick,” Drane explained. “My donor family was amazing and they said yes to donation and they saved my life.”

According to the city, 1,400 lives were saved in New England by organ donations last year.

The mayor officially declared the month of April as ‘Organ Donation Month’ in Woonsocket.