The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office recently received the Gift of Hope’s Life Changer Award for Outstanding Teams. The award recognizes service-minded teams that exhibit qualities that are measurable and tangibly advance the mission to save and enhance the lives of as many people as possible through organ and tissue donation, goodwill, inclusion, harmony and accountability, according to a news release.

“I am incredibly proud of the outstanding work and dedication demonstrated by the staff at the Medical Examiner’s Office,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Ponni Arunkumar said in the release. “Being the catalyst for donations critical to saving or improving another life is heartening. I am grateful to Gift of Hope for this recognition and am honored to continue working with this impactful organization.”

The MEO has worked with Gift of Hope for 30 years. On average, the office coordinates about 248 organ, 330 tissue and 511 cornea donations annually.