Pittsburgh, January 24, 2013 – The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), a federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and parts of New York, is challenging young filmmakers to entertain, inspire and enlighten viewers about the importance of organ, tissue and cornea donation as part of its 2013 “A Pledge for Life” Film Festival. Film students throughout CORE’s Pennsylvania and West Virginia service areas are invited to submit a short film (no more than five minutes) that highlights donation and encourages viewers to make the “Pledge for Life” by becoming a registered organ, tissue and cornea donor.

CORE will hold the 2013 “A Pledge for Life” Film Festival from 6-9 p.m. on March 28, 2013 at the Melwood Screening Room in Pittsburgh to kick off national Donate Life Month in April. The top 20 films selected by the film festival committee members will be viewed at that time and the winners will be announced ($1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $300 for third place and $200 for the audience favorite).

“The need for organ, tissue and cornea donors is great, with approximately 116,000 individuals on the waiting list in this country,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. “At CORE, we believe the film festival is a great way to raise awareness about organ, tissue and cornea donation by engaging film students and allowing them to express their creativity. It will also provide the opportunity to further educate these young people and those around them about organ, tissue and cornea donation.”

For film festival guidelines and the official entry form, please visit CORE’s website at www.core.org. For further information or questions, please email filmfestival@core.org.

Nationally, more than 116,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant. At least 18 will die each day without receiving one, including two from CORE’s service area. For every person who donates their organs, tissues and corneas, up to 50 lives can be saved or dramatically improved.

For more information about CORE, visit www.core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.

About CORE
The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States. CORE works closely with donor families and designated health care professionals to coordinate the surgical recovery of organs, tissues and corneas for transplantation. CORE also facilitates the computerized matching of donated organs and placement of corneas. With headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Charleston, West Virginia, CORE oversees a region that encompasses 155 hospitals and almost six million people throughout western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, NY. For more information, visit www.core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.