Miami Children’s Hospital (MCH) has been awarded the Organ Donation Medal of Honor by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. MCH is the only children’s hospital in the nation to have received this honor and one of six hospitals in Florida.  The ceremony took place at the seventh annual National Learning Congress and Medal of Honor ceremony in Grapevine, Texas.

This achievement is a direct result of the efforts and dedication of the hospital’s medical staff, which works collaboratively with Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency to enhance donation processes in order to save lives.
Dr. Balagangadhar Totapally, Medical Director of MCH’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) said, "Miami Children's is extremely honored to be recognized with this award. The real heroes, we know, are the families who find it in their hearts to think of others as they confront life's most profound grief. This award is a tribute to the courage and generosity of spirit." 

"There could not be anything more honorable than contributing to ‘the gift of life’ for our most needy children,” said Dr. Deise Granado-Villar, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Medical and Academic Affairs at MCH. “This medal truly recognizes a most deserving clinical team that excels every day to provide hope and healing to the children and families we are honored to serve," she said.

About Miami Children’s Hospital

Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Miami Children's Hospital® is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012-2013 by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor.