Donate Life Month flag raising ceremony honoring organ donation awareness
This April, in recognition of National Donate Life Month, HCA Florida Largo Hospital will host a Donate Life Flag Raising Ceremony to honor organ donors, celebrate transplant recipients, and raise awareness about the life-saving impact of donation.
At the heart of this year’s ceremony is a powerful story of life and family.
For decades, Dr. Anthony Pizzo dedicated his life to caring for others as a cardiologist, guiding patients through some of their most critical moments. But on April 15, 2025, nearly one year ago, his role shifted.
That morning, Dr. Pizzo performed his final procedure in the cardiac catheterization lab, ending a remarkable career of helping others. Waiting for him were his wife and son, ready to take him directly to HCA Florida Largo Hospital that same day to start preoperative preparation to receive a life-saving kidney transplant.
When Dr. Pizzo developed kidney failure, more than 20 individuals, including family, neighbors and former colleagues, stepped forward to be tested as potential living donors. It was a powerful reflection of the countless lives he had touched throughout his life.
In the end, the perfect match was even closer than anyone expected. His 37-year-old son, Anthony T Pizzo, III, healthy and eager to help was a perfect match.
The transplant, performed by Dr. James Eason and Dr. Khortnal Delvecchio at HCA Florida Largo Hospital, was a success. Just three days after surgery, Anthony was strong enough to return home, a testament to both the advancement of transplant medicine and the resilience of living donors.
Today, Dr. Pizzo is embracing retirement as he looks forward to traveling with his wife and enjoying life’s next chapter, carrying with him not only a new kidney, but a deeply personal reminder of the power of organ donation and the extraordinary bond between a father and son.
The Donate Life flag, a national symbol of hope and remembrance, will be raised during the ceremony in tribute to donors and recipients.