Lifeline of Ohio strived to create a special place to honor the gifts shared and lives touched by the heroes of organ, eye and tissue donation.

The design of our new memorial was strongly influenced by a committee of stakeholders organized to provide feedback about the current site and input regarding how to best honor and remember donors moving forward. This group included donor parents, a donor sister, Aftercare staff, the wife of a man who died waiting for a heart, the father of a liver recipient and Lifeline of Ohio staff members. Throughout the conversations, the theme of the “Ripple Effect” became clear – how one donor’s gift has an impact on many, many lives.

Based on the conversation, the ripple effect became the inspiration for the design of this uplifting Donor Memorial that honors and celebrates the heroes of organ, eye and tissue donation. The result of the input is a design which leads all visitors through the memorial for a moment of pause and reverence for the ultimate Gift of Life.

Central to the memorial design is recognition of the “ripple effect” of donation: how the gift of one selfless donor touches recipients as well as their family, friends, co-workers and even future generations. This symbolism was extremely important to stakeholders and is reflected in a number of ways throughout the memorial.

Central Fountain – The Central Fountain is located on axis with the main entrance. A ripple of water emanates from the geyser in the central fountain, and extends across the plaza in the form of granite paver “ripple rings.” As the ripple rings meet the building, they influence the shape of the curved glass walls leading to the Conference Center and the main entrance.  In the pattern of the carpet and in the custom lighting fixtures in the ceiling, the ripple rings extend into the Lifeline of Ohio main lobby and into the Conference Center.

When the water is turned off for the winter, the ripples will still be present in the form of concentric rings of polished, thermal finish granite on the top of the fountain.

Remembrance Room –Designed as an “embrace,” the Remembrance Room is an outdoor space for one, or for many, to gather within. Currently, the room features 700 donor names (up to 1,800 names can be placed) cut into stainless steel panels mounted in front of eight refined concrete panels. The eight panels in the Remembrance Room represent the eight lives that can be saved by the gifts of one organ donor.

As you approach these stainless steel panels, you will experience the reflection of your presence as you view the names.  As you reach out to touch the names, you will realize that the letters are the holes in the stainless steel panels through which the light passes. The names, made of light, are the brightest elements in the Donor Memorial.

The Remembrance Room is a spiritual place where all are invited to pause and remember those that gave the Gift of Life and Healing.  One of the illuminated blue glass panels at the gateway of the Remembrance Room states “The ripple starts with one generous act that changes countless lives and creates endless possibilities.”

As the trees grow, the amount of shade will grow and the canopy of branches overhead will help to create a sense that this is an “outdoor room” in a spiritual garden.  In the center of this outdoor room is another fountain, the Remembrance Room Fountain.

Remembrance Room Fountain – At the center of the Remembrance Room is the Remembrance Room Fountain from which granite ripples emanate. As the water flows from this fountain, and splashes into the rock garden below, the sound of the water provides a soothing, comforting sound signature. But the rocks in the rock garden have another purpose. The previous Donor Memorial included a rock garden (created in memory of Billy Frederick, a hero of donation in 2004).  A new version of the rock garden now surrounds the Remembrance Room Fountain where visitors are invited to “Place a Stone in memory of your Hero of Donation.”  Following an old world tradition, visitors will be encouraged to place a rock at the fountain as a memory and legacy of their loved one.