BANGOR – Eastern Maine Medical Center has earned a 2008 Organ Donation Medal of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This is the fourth year in a row that EMMC has received the award, given to hospitals and organ procurement organizations for excellence in helping grieving families decide to help others through organ donation. The award was presented Oct. 24 in Nashville, Tenn.

According to the New England Organ Bank, there have been 29 organ donors in Maine so far this year.

Of those, 13 were from EMMC.