– Annual Award Recognizes Champions of Organ, Tissue and Cornea Donation –

 Pittsburgh, Oct. 14, 2014 – The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is pleased to recognize 14 area hospitals with the West Virginia Governor’s Award for Life 2014.  The awards ceremony took place during the West Virginia Hospital Association’s annual meeting on September 25, 2014 at the Greenbrier Resort (White Sulphur Springs, WV). The award recognizes hospitals that have been successful in supporting organ, tissue and cornea donation within their own health care facilities, and have achieved increased donation rates as a result.  Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE, recognized the following hospitals in attendance (the below individuals accepted the award on behalf of their hospital):

• CAMC General Hospital – Mike Williams
• CAMC Memorial Hospital – Mike Williams
• CAMC Women & Children’s Hospital – Andrew Weber
• Davis Regional Medical Center – Mark Doak
• Mon General Hospital – Darryl Duncan
• Ohio Valley Medical Center – Michael Caruso
• Raleigh General Hospital – David Darden
• Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital – Avah Stalnaker
• Thomas Memorial Hospital – Steve Dexter
• United Hospital Center – Dr. Christopher Colendar
• West Virginia University Hospitals – Albert Wright
• Wheeling Hospital – Debbie Romaine

 Representatives from Bluefield Regional Medical Center and Weirton Medical Center were unable to attend, but CORE reached out to hospital leadership following the event to congratulate them on their award.

 “On behalf of the more than 800 patients in West Virginia who await a lifesaving transplant and in memory of our selfless donors and in honor of their families, we are pleased to recognize the 2014 recipients of this distinguished award,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE.  “We are proud to work with these hospitals and applaud their ongoing dedication to organ, tissue and cornea donation. We are also proud to work with the West Virginia Hospital Association, and are grateful to Joe Letnaunchyn for his unwavering commitment to organ, tissue and cornea donation awareness.”

With the support of U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, former governor of West Virginia, the West Virginia Governor’s Award for Life was implemented in 2007 through a collaboration of the West Virginia Hospital Association, CORE and the other organ procurement organizations that serve West Virginia:  Lifeline of Ohio (LOOP), LifeNet Health and Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA).

Nationally, more than 122,000 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.

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 deliver the gift of hope by coordinating the surgical recovery of organs, tissues and corneas for transplantation.  CORE also facilitates the computerized matching of donated organs, tissues and 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.