HARRISBURG – In preparation of Pennsylvania’s second-ever PA Donor Day on Jan. 8, 2021, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine urged all Pennsylvanians to participate and register as organ and tissue donors through Donate Life Pennsylvania, the state’s online donation registry.
“The need for registered donors in Pennsylvania is now greater than ever; fewer people have registered as organ donors in 2020 than in previous years,” Levine said. “Registering to be an organ and tissue donor has the potential to save many lives and can take only a few seconds.
“Organ and tissue transplants have become an integral part of health care in the state and across the nation, so I am encouraging Pennsylvanians to register as an organ donor and learn more about the importance of organ and tissue donation.”
Nearly 7,000 Pennsylvanians are among the more than 100,000 Americans currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. The significance of PA Donor Day, Jan. 8 or 1/8, serves as a reminder that one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of 75 others through tissue and corneal donation.
“PA Donor Day is a special opportunity to create a unifying moment across our state; a day when we can all work together to do good, to encourage our family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and others to learn more about the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation and to register,” said Susan Stuart, president and chief executive officer of CORE.
“By coming together on this one momentous day, we can help make a difference in the lives of so many Pennsylvanians.”
“More than 36,000 men, women and children are expected to receive a second chance at life this year through the gift of organ donation,” said Howard M. Nathan, president and CEO of Gift of Life Donor Program.
“If every potential donor was registered, thousands of more lives would be saved in the U.S. each year. Registered donors make a difference and create positive momentum around this critical public health issue.
“We are grateful for those employers, organizations and individuals who are already planning to participate in our second annual PA Donor Day and encourage all Pennsylvanians to join us in saving lives.”
Donate Life Pennsylvania is a collaborative initiative between the Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Education and Transportation, and Pennsylvania’s two organ procurement organizations, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and Gift of Life Donor Program (GOL).
It is funded by residents of Pennsylvania through voluntary contributions included with driver’s license renewals, vehicle registrations and state income tax filings, or through direct check donations to the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund in care of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Trust Fund contributions are used to educate Pennsylvanians, build awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation, and increase the number of people who register as organ donors on their driver’s license or state identification cards.
More information is available at donatelifepa.org, on Facebook at @DonateLifePennsylvania and on Instagram at @donatelife_pa.
For more information on organ donation or how to donate to the Governor Casey Trust Fund, visit www.health.pa.gov or follow on Facebook and Twitter.
