VIDEO: Huntington Raises Donate Life Flag To Promote Organ Donation Awareness

HUNTINGTON, NY — The Town of Huntington kicked off Organ Donation Awareness Month on April 1 with a flag-raising ceremony at Veterans Plaza, where elected officials, transplant recipients, and living donors came together to share stories about the life-saving impact of organ donation.

The Town partnered with LiveOnNY, the federally designated organ procurement organization for the Greater New York City area, to host the event and continue its annual advocacy campaign.

The event featured the raising of the Donate Life flag outside Town Hall and personal testimonies to close the gap between widespread support for organ donation and the number of registered donors.

“One organ donor can save up to eight lives, 75 more by donating tissue and corneas,” Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said. “To donate organs and donate tissue is a selfless, kind, and truly incredible act.”

Smyth said nearly 10,000 residents are currently waiting for transplants and that hundreds die each year before receiving one. While recent years have seen increased participation, he stressed that demand still far outstrips supply.

“This is probably one of the most important events of the year that we attend,” Town Clerk Andrew Raia said. "New York once ranked last in organ donation. Today, numbers have improved significantly. That’s thanks to advocacy and legislation."

Smithtown couple Guy and Lisa Calla understand the emotional toll of waiting for a transplant and the transformative impact of organ donation. Lisa donated a kidney in 2019 to a teenager battling a rare disease, inspiring Guy to become a living donor himself.

“When I saw Julia immediately improve, and the family’s anguish and despair lifted, it became a very easy decision for me to donate to a stranger on that list,” he said. “Ask the question: when in life do you ever have the opportunity to directly affect the outcome of someone else’s life?”

Guy said the New York area has seen growth in organ donation rates and encouraged others to consider donation as a way to directly save lives. Lisa expressed hope that the annual event would inspire others to take action.

“I’m very hopeful that either someone here today or someone who sees this presentation might make that decision,” she said.

For Jonas Wagner, a Huntington Town Hall employee, the experience of waiting for a transplant was filled with physical exhaustion and the constant uncertainty of survival.

“Three years ago, I was not feeling well, and I was told I was in kidney failure,” Wagner said. “You have 4 percent kidney function.”

He described the grueling routine of dialysis, which required him to spend hours connected to a machine multiple times a week while adhering to strict dietary and fluid restrictions. The condition affected his family life, limiting his ability to fully be present with his wife and children.

“It took me about three days a week, five hours of time, 15 hours a week, sitting in a chair, not being able to move,” he said. “It’s very hard on your whole body and your whole health. There is no cure; dialysis was a means to prolong my life.”

In January 2024, Wagner received a kidney transplant, which transformed his life.

“Right away, soon after that transplant, I regained my strength, my overall health improved,” Wagner said. “It’s really a change in life perspective.”

Christian Siems, who is approaching the 11th anniversary of his heart transplant, recounted being diagnosed with heart failure shortly after high school, undergoing multiple procedures, and ultimately receiving a life-saving transplant.

“I learned that I was in heart failure and was immediately sent to the emergency room,” he said, explaining that his condition deteriorated rapidly after high school.

He underwent multiple procedures and relied on a mechanical device to keep his heart functioning while waiting for a transplant. The transplant he received in 2015 ultimately gave him a second chance at life—one he now uses to advocate for awareness.

“My heart at that point was so weak,” he said. “Without that, and someone deciding to become an organ donor, I would not be standing here today. Organ donation really affects a lot of different people… many ages, many countries, many ethnicities.”

Karen Cummings of LiveOnNY said the gap between widespread support for organ donation and actual registration remains one of the biggest challenges.

“Even though most people say organ donation is a good thing, the majority of New Yorkers have not said yes to donation, and we believe that the space between people who have said yes and the people who are hesitant or on the fence is awareness,” she said.

Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin shared a personal connection, recounting how a family member required multiple transplants to survive.

“While not every family needs a transplant, every family could,” she said. “That’s why we’re here today… to remind folks how powerful they can be.”

The Town will continue working with LiveOnNY and other organizations throughout the year to expand outreach and encourage more residents to register.

“We ask for you to do is really two things—one is to get informed and the second is to register to be an organ donor and to tell your family your wishes,” Cummings said. “By taking those two steps, we can each become an everyday hero.”