HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital will hold a special flag raising ceremony to help raise awareness and to honor organ donors and their families. National Donate Life Month is celebrated annually in April. The observance encourages people to learn about organ and tissue donation and how to register to help save lives. Hospital colleagues, nurses and physicians will be joined by Jill Rust. Rust, a Bradenton resident, received a kidney donation and transplant in 2010. She will speak about her transplant and how a donation from a deceased donor impacted her life. The Donate Life flag will be solemnly raised and will fly the entire month of April in front of the hospital. The hospital will also hold a blood drive, as part of the nationwide We Show Up for our Communities effort. Colleagues at HCA Healthcare hospitals across the United States partner with nonprofit organizations for acts of service in April. The blood drive will benefit Suncoast Blood Centers and the flag raising ceremony will be held in conjunction with LifeLink® of Florida, the local organ and tissue recovery organization.

Wednesday, April 10 at 9:15 a.m.- flag raising; 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.- blood drive, HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital, 5731 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota.