Independence Health System Celebrates National Donate Life Month

Pa., April. 1, 2025 — Nationally, more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant, including over 6,000 people in Pennsylvania and more than 500 in West Virginia. On average, 17 people die each day waiting for a transplant they desperately need. Someone is added to the transplant waiting list every nine minutes.

Annually, the hospitals of Independence Health System join the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) to raise awareness about organ, tissue and cornea donation and to encourage donor registration during April’s celebration of Donate Life Month. In doing so, Independence Health System also participates in the Donate Life Challenge, sponsored by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).

To promote the importance of organ donation, Independence Health System through its member hospitals, will hold public flag-raising ceremonies on April 4 in the Westmoreland area at Frick and Westmoreland Hospitals, on April 9 in the Clarion area at Clarion Hospital, and on April 18 in the Latrobe area at Latrobe Hospital. The health system will also highlight the importance of donor designation through radio shows featuring health system staff and CORE representatives on WHJB and WISR during the month. 

The health system also will engage in several Internal activities, including the observance of Blue and Green Day on April 12 and a unit-specific flag-raising on April 15 in the Butler Memorial Hospital ICU. These events serve as a powerful reminder of the impact of donation and celebrate of the hope and healing it brings to recipients and their loved ones. 

“During National Donate Life Month, we celebrate the power of donation to save and heal lives and the generosity of donors and their families that makes this possible,” said Susan Stuart, President & CEO of CORE. “We also recognize the remarkable partnerships between CORE and the hospitals in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which helped facilitate 970 life-saving organ transplants in 2024. This month is a tribute to those who say yes to donation, bringing hope and healing to countless individuals.” 

“As a health system we are dedicated to promoting the health and wellness of our community, not only by caring for patients, but by championing initiatives that enhance overall well-being,” said Chief Medical Officer Carol Fox, MD, FAAFP. “Encouraging organ donation is just one of many ways we can support and enhance the lives of those around us.”

 The Need: There Are More Lives to Save 

• More than 100,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. 
• Every nine minutes, another person is added to the waiting list. 
• More than 90,000 people across the nation await a kidney transplant—the organ in greatest demand—followed by liver, heart, and lung transplants. 
• Multicultural communities, often at higher risk for conditions like diabetes and hypertension, make up more than 50% of the national transplant waiting list. 

The Impact: Saving and Healing Lives 

• In 2024, more than 24,018 individuals became organ donors in the U.S., including nearly 7,030 living donors. 
• These generous gifts enabled 48,137 life-saving organ transplants last year. 
• Tissue donation helps heal more than 2.5 million people annually, with just one tissue donor capable of improving the lives of more than 75 people. 
• More than 85,000 cornea transplants restore sight each year, with a success rate exceeding 97%. 

CORE’s 2024 Contributions 

• 472 organ donors from CORE’s service area enabled 970 life-saving organ transplants—a 17% increase from 2023. 
• Tissue donations from 1,654 individuals provided healing to nearly 125,000 people. 
• 905 cornea donors restored sight for 884 individuals, reflecting an 8% increase from the previous year. 
• In western Pennsylvania alone, 345 organ donors contributed to 682 life-saving transplants in 2024. 

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 heal over 75 others. To sign up, visit core.org/register.

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About Independence Health System:

Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and 7,300 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties. 

The System includes tertiary programs rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery, earning accolades from a number of prestigious outlets and organizations. Locally owned and locally controlled, Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually. The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. Learn more at www.independence.health

About CORE 

The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of the more than 50 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States, serving more than five million people in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, New York. CORE coordinates the recovery and matching of organs, tissues and corneas for transplant within our service region, and works tirelessly to create a culture of donation within the hospitals and communities we serve. CORE’s mission is to Save and Heal lives through donation, ultimately ending the deaths of those on the transplant waiting list, while maintaining integrity for the donation process, dignity for the donors, and compassion for their families. CORE is a winner of the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, a presidential award that recognizes nonprofits for their innovation and excellence. For more information, visit www.core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7. 

About Donate Life America 

Donate Life America (DLA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization leading its national partners and Donate Life State Teams to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissue available to save and heal lives. DLA manages and promotes Donate Life℠, the national brand for the cause of donation; motivates the public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors; provides education about living donation; manages the National Donate Life Registry at RegisterMe.org; and develops and executes effective multi-media campaigns to promote donation.