Pinwheels of Hope: Celebrating National Donate Life Month at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford

Raising Awareness and Inspiring Action for Organ Donation

Gerri James, RN, and Everett planting pinwheels – representing a life-saving transplant.

In April, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health commemorates National Donate Life Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the crucial need for organ and tissue donations. These lifesaving gifts offer a second chance to those battling severe illnesses. At Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, 30 young patients are currently waiting for their second chance.

To symbolize the hope and urgency for these children, the Pediatric Transplant Center care team came together to plant 30 colorful pinwheels in the Dawes Garden, each representing one young patient in need of an organ transplant.

Maria Marquez understands the heartache of having a child on the transplant list. Her son is waiting for a lung, and she hopes the pinwheels will remind people of the many children and young adults awaiting donors. “Organs don’t go to heaven. There are people like my son Armando who need them.”

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there are over 100,000 people in the United States waiting for organ transplants. Of these, approximately 1,900 are children.

“The gift of an organ for transplant is a true lifesaver,” said Paul Grimm, MD, pediatric nephrologist and director of the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program. “At Stanford Children’s, we care for many children whose kidneys, livers, hearts, or intestines have failed. When someone donates an organ, whether as a living donor or after passing, they give an incredible gift. This act has the power to profoundly change the life of a child or teen.”

Based on 2024 data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, the Stanford Children’s Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program ranks number one in the country for volume and demonstrates outstanding outcomes for its patients. “People come from all over the United States to us because of our outcomes,” Dr. Grimm explained. “Our world-class team, combined with exceptional posttransplant care and comprehensive patient-family education, exemplifies the global excellence we strive for.”

For Dr. Grimm, each pinwheel is more than just a symbol; it’s a call to action. “Some patients wait a long time, and many never get an organ,” Dr. Grimm noted. “They pass away without it. We need more research, more understanding, and more education about the importance of donation.”

Isabella holding a pinwheel in honor of her brother waiting for a lung transplant.

Armando is one of 30 young patients currently waiting for an organ transplant.

The Dawes Garden pinwheel event serves as a poignant reminder and an engaging centerpiece to educate the public about the critical need for organ donation.

Throughout National Donate Life Month, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health encourages everyone to consider registering as an organ donor, potentially offering young patients like those at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford a second chance at life.