Families who donated tissue from loved ones to help others will be honored in Kennewick

Tissue donors will be remembered and their families honored at a Tree of Life celebration in Kennewick.

The event is 5-7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Trios Care Center at Southridge, 3730 Plaza Way.

Trios Health is joining with LifeNet Health for the event, knowing that the holidays can be difficult for families who have donated tissue, such as heart valves, bones, skin, veins and corneas from a loved one.

The ceremony allows the employees of LifeNet Health and Trios Health to share their gratitude for donors and their families, by letting families place an ornament on the Tree of Life in honor of the donor.

Families may bring an ornament or create one at the event.

This is the first Tree of Life event by LifeNet Health in Eastern Washington.

Last year, Trios operating rooms were used 19 times by LifeNet Health, a nonprofit, to recover tissue from donors. One tissue donor can enhance or save the lives of more than 150 people, from heart patients to burn victims.

Earlier this year LifeNet gave Trios Southridge Hospital its Operating Room of the Year Award for its help with tissue recovery.