CORE encourages individuals to make Pledge for Life

by registering to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor

More than 120,000 people in the United States are waiting for an organ transplant and at least 18 will die without receiving one. Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is pleased to join the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and organ procurement organizations throughout the country to commemorate National Donate Life Month. Throughout April, CORE is encouraging individuals to make the Pledge for Life and register to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor.

“The number of people in need of transplants far exceeds the number of organs, tissues and corneas that are donated, and at CORE, one of our primary goals is to educate people on the need to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. “Registering to become a donor only takes about 30 seconds, but it can make the difference of a lifetime by offering someone a second chance at life or the opportunity for a better life.”

“Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is pleased to work with CORE and to help recognize National Donate Life Month. The partnership with CORE is one that we feel is beneficial to our local community,” said Rob Calhoun, CEO Greenbrier Valley Medical Center.

Individuals are encouraged to talk with family members and friends about making the Pledge for Life to become a donor. Each person that signs up to become a donor can help up to 50 people through organ, tissue and cornea donation. To sign up, visit www.donatelifewv.org.

Some important facts about organ, tissue and cornea donation:

• Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race or medical history.

• More than 800 patients in West Virginia are awaiting life-saving organ transplants.

Thousands of others could benefit from life-enhancing tissue transplants.

• With at least 90,000 people across the nation awaiting a kidney, kidneys are the organ in greatest demand, followed by liver, heart and lungs.

• Because conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are often more prevalent in the multicultural community, these individuals make up more than 50 percent of those on the national organ transplant list.

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.

Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is a 122-bed hospital where technology and skilled professionals come together to provide compassionate, customer-focused care. Key services include urology, orthopedics, cardiology and vascular, general surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, cardiopulmonary testing, imaging and diagnostics, and emergency medicine. Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is located at 202 Maplewood Avenue in Ronceverte. For more information, visit Greenbrier Valley Medical Center at www.gvmc.com.