Broaddus Hospital Celebrates National Donate Life Month

Nationally, more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant, including 2,500 people in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. At least 20 will die each day without receiving the transplant they so desperately need. Someone is added to the transplant waiting list every 10 minutes.

Broaddus Hospital is pleased to join the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) to raise awareness about organ, tissue and cornea donation, and to inspire everyone during Donate Life Month to register to be an organ donor. In honor of Donate Life Month, Broaddus Hospital will be hosting a Donate Life Flag Raising on April 18, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the Broaddus Hospital Main Entrance. All community members are welcome to attend.

"During National Donate Life Month, we celebrate the power of organ, tissue, and cornea donation to save and heal lives. We recognize the successful collaborations between CORE and the hospitals in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, that have resulted in more than 900 life-saving organ transplants in 2023,” said Susan Stuart, President & CEO of CORE. "But, above all, this month is a tribute to the selfless donors and their families whose generous decision to give the gift of life has brought hope and healing to those close to home and far away.”

"As a health system, we stand in a unique position to not just attend to the health of our patients but to ignite a powerful inspiration within our community, urging them to embrace wellness in every dimension of life," enthused Dana Gould, CEO of Broaddus Hospital. "The greater number of individuals we can motivate to become organ donors, the more profoundly we fulfill our mission as passionate advocates for the holistic well-being of our entire community."

Some important facts about organ, tissue and cornea donation:

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

With more than 90,000 people across the nation awaiting a kidney, it is 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.

Individuals are encouraged to talk with family members and friends about registering as a donor. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and a tissue donor can improve the lives of more than 100 others. To sign up, visit core.org/register.