Donate Life flag raising; celebrating organ donation with new events

MILWAUKEE - April is National Donate Life Month and Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin is celebrating those who have saved lives through donation by hosting several events throughout the month. 

Flag raising for organ donation

What we know:

The kick-off event was a Donate Life flag raising at Versiti headquarters in Milwaukee on Wednesday, April 2. The flag was raised at 1:08 p.m. as a reminder that one organ donor can save up to eight lives.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

Almost 1,500 of the more than 100,000 Americans waiting for lifesaving organ transplants currently live in Wisconsin.

Upcoming public events

What you can do:

There are multiple upcoming public events in celebration of Donate Life Month. They include the following: 

• On Friday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m., donor families, organ recipients and community partners will gather at Milwaukee Sail Loft as Versiti lights up the Hoan Bridge in blue and green for National Blue & Green Day.
• The celebration continues at Greenfield Park on Saturday, April 26 for the Cream City 5k, honoring the memory of Jesse Pagels who was a double lung transplant recipient and founder of the run. The run carries even more meaning this year as April marks the one-year anniversary of Jesse’s death.
• The Play4Cade Memorial Baseball Tournament will take place on Saturday, May 10 at the Rubicon Ball Club. The tournament is in honor of the late Cade Werner, a 14-year-old organ donor whose generous gift saved the lives of four people.