Loyola University Medical Center holds candlelight ceremony honoring organ donors, recipients

Loyola University Medical Center honored those who gave the gift of life on Sunday.

They held a candlelight ceremony honoring organ donors and recipients.

Each candle represented an organ donor recipient, donor, or someone still waiting for help.

Attendees were encouraged to share stories of loss and of hope.

One of the speakers included Rosie Woods. She was born with cystic fibrosis, and in 2019, after years in and out of the hospital, she received a double lung transplant. She also got the chance to thank the parents of her donor.

"I want them to know that I will never take this amazing gift for granted," she said. "I am blessed to carry her with every breath I take. I am blessed to have this incredible team who gave me a whole new life."

There are currently more than 100,000 people in the United States waiting for a transplant.