—Donate Life West Virginia to Have a Presence at Daylong Event—

Charleston, Feb. 4, 2015 – The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is pleased to partner with Donate Life West Virginia and the West Virginia Hospital Association to promote organ donation awareness at West Virginia Hospital Day on Feb. 5, 2015 at the Capitol Rotunda in Charleston, W.Va.  During the daylong event, CORE will have an information table encouraging organ donation awareness, sharing powerful stories about those personally impacted by organ, tissue and cornea donation, such as Michelle Seabolt from Charleston who donated her heart, lungs and liver.

Seabolt worked for McDonald’s in Elkview, WV for many years as the morning drive-thru cashier.  Her goal was to brighten every person’s day with a smile. She passed away on Dec. 29, 2014 and was able to donate her heart to a 57-year old male in New York, her lungs to a 37-year old female in Pittsburgh and her liver to a 63-year old male in California.  Her family hopes to connect with the recipients of Michelle’s organs in the future.

Throughout the course of the day, CORE staff and volunteers will also deliver informational packets to legislators highlighting the importance of donation.

“On behalf of Donate Life West Virginia, we look forward to having a presence at this important day at the State Capitol to share moving stories like Michelle’s and encourage attendees and legislators to learn more and register to become an organ donor,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE.  “Through events like these, we are proud to continue to enhance donation awareness, increase donor designations and end the waiting time for recipients in need of a lifesaving transplant across the Mountain State.”

Donate Life West Virginia is comprised of four federally-designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) that are dedicated to promoting and coordinating the donation of organs and tissue for transplantation – CORE, Lifeline of Ohio, Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates and LifeNet Health.  Together, they:

• Work with West Virginia hospitals to ensure that staff is properly trained in the donation process so that every potential organ donor is given the opportunity to donate.
• Partner with the West Virginia Hospital Association to adopt a culture of donation in the hospitals.
• Partner with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) to provide information and assistance in asking every eligible resident to register as an organ, tissue and cornea donor.
• Provide education within corporations, schools, organizations and other outlets to bring awareness to the importance of organ, tissue and cornea donation.

For more information about Donate Life West Virginia, visit www.donatelifewv.org.

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.