Los Angeles Children’s Hospital Honors St. Francis High School’s Jim O’Connor

Jim O’Connor’s Faithful and Selfless Service to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Recognized as Hospital’s Board of Directors’ “Mission Moment”: Since 1989, St. Francis High School math teacher Jim O’Connor has donated more than 72 gallons of blood and platelets at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. This past week, the Board of Directors at Children’s Hospital honored him and invited him to speak at their Board meeting. On behalf of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles patients, families and staff, thank you Mr. O’Connor for your faithful and selfless service to those in need! Mr. O’Connor has also volunteered a countless number of hours caring for some of the hospital’s youngest patients. Consequently, he is well-known and loved by the staff and nurses that he has worked with over the past 25 years.

The Board of Directors also asked Mr. O’Connor to accept a check on behalf of Children’s Hospital from the Los Angeles Kings Organization at this Thursday’s L.A. Kings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game taking place at the Staples Center.

St. Francis High School would also like to thank Mr. O’Connor for serving as a positive role model to the young men who attend our school. He continues to embody those Franciscan virtues that make a St. Francis education so unique.

Here are a few quotations from his speech to the Children’s Hospital Board of Directors:

“It is not difficult to figure out that getting stuck by a needle that doesn’t even hurt and sitting in a recliner watching a movie can save or sustain the lives of 2 kids or 3 babies, its definitely worth it.” – Mr. O’Connor

“The rewards of working with babies are simple, but powerful. To see an unhappy baby relax and fall asleep, give me a little smile, coo or try to talk to me makes it worth my time and I always want to come back.” – Mr. O’Connor

“The connection between Children’s and St. Francis allows our students to see the virtues in action and the differences they can make in the lives of others.” – Mr. O’Connor

St. Francis High School, 200 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, (818) 790-0325 or visit www.sfhs.net.