Thousands of pinwheels planted at Ohio State Transplant Center for Donate Life Month

COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 9,700 red and silver pinwheels were planted at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center this weekend, each pinwheel represents an organ transplant performed at the hospital.

The pinwheel planting was all a part of the 11th annual Comprehensive Transplant Center Buckeye pinwheel Planting and Transplant Reunion, which was held on Sunday. More than 1,300 guests and volunteers gathered for the event, which honors former transplant patients, organ donors, and living kidney and liver donors.

Ohio State's Comprehensive Transplant Center is one of the top 15 transplant programs by volume in the United States.

In total, doctors have performed more than 9,700 life saving transplants, including heart, lung, kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants.

This year, the program is celebrating 52 years of organ transplants. The first transplant at the hospital was a kidney, in 1967.

The pinwheels will be on display throughout April, which is National Donate Life Month.