AVMC Palliative Care Experts to Speak at National Organ Donation Symposium
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(LANCASTER, Calif. – October 12, 2015) — Two members of Antelope Valley Medical Center’s palliative care team will be among the featured speakers at OneLegacy’s National Organ Donation and Transplantation Symposium at the Pomona Fairplex on October 13. Nearly 2,000 participants are expected to attend the event, which brings together professionals from across the U.S. and abroad to learn about the latest developments and share best practices for saving lives through donation.
May Ronci, RN, CHPN, and Lori Carlton-Mowry, MSW, ACSW, of Antelope Valley Medical Center, will discuss the expanding role of palliative care in organ donation and the “total collaboration” model the hospital uses to make the organ-donation decision easier on families and help them through their grief. Palliative care is a specialty focused on improving the quality of life for people of any age and at any stage of their serious-progressive illness as well as helping families navigate difficult care decisions.
The hospital’s palliative care team connects with potential donor families and the OneLegacy team. Under this new model OneLegacy is reporting a heightened sense of awareness and peace when they approach families for donation, likely due to much improved medical understanding and emotional support.
“Through this collaboration, we are helping families begin to apply meaning and coping skills to their great loss and helping them celebrate second chances through the gift of life,” said Carlton-Mowry.
OneLegacy is the largest non-profit, federally-designated organ procurement organization in the United States.
About Antelope Valley Medical Center
Celebrating 60 years of caring for the community, Antelope Valley Medical Center is located in the city of Lancaster in northern Los Angeles County. The 420-bed district hospital is a Level II trauma center and provides a full array of medical/surgical services, pediatric treatment, NICU, mental health, cancer care and more. More information is available at www.AVMC.org or by calling 661-949-5000.
