https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/area-hospitals-participate-in-states-first-donor-day/
Western Pa. hospitals participate in state's first Donor Day
Wednesday was Pennsylvania’s first Donor Day, recognizing and encouraging organ and tissue donation. Donor registration drives were held across the state, including at Allegheny General Hospital, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, UPMC Hamot hospital in Erie and Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown.
“The fact that one donor can save up to eight lives makes today, January 8 or 1/8, the perfect reminder to take a few seconds and sign up,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a news release. “Organ tissue transplants have become an integral part of health care in the state across the nation. Registering to be a donor has the potential to save many lives.”
Transplant centers across the country are grappling with a national shortage of available cadaver organs. In the past 10 years, deceased-donor transplants at UPMC have declined by about 30%. As a result, the hospital system has made a concerted effort to focus on live donor transplants. In 2019, UPMC performed 144 live-donor transplants, compared to only 54 in 2012, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). That’s about a 120% increase.
Pennsylvania has a goal to register at least 50% of eligible residents as donors by 2021, according to the news release. More than 89,000 residents signed up in 2019.
A key way that residents typically register to be organ donors is when obtaining a driver’s license or identification card. The donor designation can also be added online at PennDOT’s website.
“We are proud to play a part in these potentially life-saving efforts,” said Yassmin Gramain, acting PennDOT secretary.
The departments of Health and Transportation, along with the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and Gift of Life Donor Program (GOL) created an initiative called Donate Life Pennsylvania. According to the news release, trust fund contributions are used to educate, build awareness and increase the number of residents who register as organ donors on their license or state ID card.
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