ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Lovelace Women’s Hospital honored the gift made by their first organ donor patient, Tara Velasquez, with a flag-raising ceremony. She was 51 years old when she died but her organs helped save two lives.
A plaque honoring her donation was unveiled as well. Her mother spoke at Thursday’s event. “When we were told that Tara was a donor, as her mother, I felt like a cloud had been lifted from my shoulders,” said Margarita Jaramillo.
95 organ donors at Lovelace have helped save the lives of 241 transplant recipients. The state also celebrated a record donation of 137 kidneys and 54 livers.
