OhioHealth Marion General Hospital Chaplain Earns Lifeline of Ohio Champions of Hope Award for Hospital Spiritual Care Champion
When it comes to the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation, for Cathy Hughes, the topic hits close to home. Hughes, a Chaplain at OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, has witnessed the impact of organ and tissue donation within her own family.
“My family has been personally touched through donation,” Hughes said. “Two of my family members provided the gifts of tissue and sight. One member of my family received the life-giving gift of a liver at just five years old. He will be thirty years old this year and now he and his wife have a daughter who is 3 years old.”
Hughes has been with OhioHealth for the past eight years. She finds her career as a chaplain to be rewarding.
“Being a chaplain invites connection with so many people throughout the hospital and local community,” she explained. “As a chaplain, I am part of a wonderful pastoral care team, and through that combined work, it is the greatest joy to walk alongside our staff and members of our local community on their unique spiritual journeys of the toughest days imaginable and the days when there is also great hope. Sometimes those days are far removed from each other and some days they may even be the very same day.”
As part of her role serving as a hospital chaplain at Marion General Hospital, she works closely with patients and their families to support and guide them through their healing process and spiritual journey. In some cases, the families Hughes supports may consider honoring their loved one through the gift of donation.
This month, Hughes was recognized for her dedication to those she serves by Lifeline of Ohio. Hughes received the Lifeline of Ohio Champions of Hope Award for Hospital Spiritual Care Champion.
“The award serves as a reminder of the work I am called to do as a chaplain who honors the gift of life in all parts of that journey and who seeks to honor all of those on their journey,” Hughes said. “The award also reminds me of how I am called to do the work – with compassion and hope.”
Hughes was presented the award on October 5th at the Lifeline of Ohio Champions of Hope Gala.
“This event is a special reminder of the incredible collaboration throughout the donation process,” said Lifeline of Ohio CEO Andrew Mullins. “We are so pleased to be able to honor our partners for the important roles they play from registration of the donation decision to caring for our donors and families, recipients and patients waiting for their lifesaving gifts.”
Thanks to the generosity of donors throughout Lifeline of Ohio’s service area, in 2023, the donation decision of 182 organ donor heroes and their families was honored, saving the lives of 445 people. In addition, 1,004 donor heroes gave the gift of healing through tissue and cornea donation, and 588 people made the decision to donate their placentas to create thousands of healing tissue grafts.
To find out more information on OhioHealth’s Pastoral Care Program, click here: Spiritual Care | OhioHealth
To read more about Lifeline of Ohio, click here: Home - Lifeline of Ohio
