Pittsburgh, April 1, 2016 – More than 121,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant nationally, including more than 3,000 in the Center for Organ Recovery & Education’s (CORE) coverage area. Behind each one of those numbers is a loved one, a family member, a best friend – waiting for a life-changing organ transplant.

“During National Donate Life Month we will celebrate the life-saving transformation experienced by transplant recipients, the life-affirming power donor families have when a loved one selflessly gives the gift of life,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO, CORE. “Most importantly, we will encourage people to register to be an organ, cornea and tissue donor to bring hope to those on the waiting list.”

This April, CORE and its hospital and community partners will celebrate National Donate Life Month with nearly 50 local events, which will feature donor families and recipients. Highlights include:

• 10 a.m. Thursday, April 14 Flag-Raising Ceremony at UPMC Hamot
• 10 a.m. Thursday, April 14 Flag-Raising Ceremony Allegheny Valley Hospital
• Friday, April 15 National Blue and Green Day
• 9 a.m. Friday, April 29 Rose Ceremony at Allegheny General Hospital

A complete listing of CORE’s National Donate Life Month events is available here.

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.