 April is known as National Donate Life Month, and at Sanford Health in Bemidji, staff kicked off the month of raising awareness with a special ceremony. Josh Peterson has more. With a few good tugs, a flag proclaiming Donate Life was hoisted into position high overhead in front of Sanford Health in Bemidji. Today kicked off a month of raising awareness about the importance of becoming an organ donor. If a patient or one person donating can give up to eight new lives. Longer time, meaningful time, healthier life. Kara Dandar was a live donor herself and spoke at the ceremony about her experience. She says that while it was long and sometimes stressful, she says it was all worth it. Investigate it. Don't necessarily commit yourself one way or another. Go forward. See if you're a match. You might not even be a match. You don't know. For many becoming either an organ donor or a live donor, it can be intimidating and occasionally leave a person feeling apprehensive. You go through extensive workup, making sure as well that the patient who's receiving your kidney is a good patient, a healthy, relatively healthier than, you know, you're not giving a kidney that is not going to last for a long time. The Donate Life flag will fly outside of Sanford Health throughout the month of April, set as a reminder that you can help save a life. Bonnie Anderson is a two-time kidney recipient and is grateful that someone was willing to share the gift of life. A physician said to me the other day, when you have health, you have everything. I couldn't agree more and because of the gifts given, I have everything. For those that give, it's rewarding to see the difference you can make in someone's life. Being selfless can give someone else life and a sacrifice, a small sacrifice that I made has given essentially two more people life. In Bemidji, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. And if you'd like more information about becoming an organ donor, we've posted a link on our website at lptv.org slash news. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.