CORE, Nason Suggest Giving Gift Of Life This Holiday Season

While the month of April is designated as National Donate Life month, a time to shine the spotlight on the need for organ donors and celebrate the success stories of organ donation recipients, raising awareness about organ donations is a year-round job. As Christmas approaches, the Center for Organ Recovery (CORE) and Conemaugh Nason Medical Center in Roaring Spring are asking people to add the gift of life to their holiday shopping list.

"Christmas is the time of year we are all in the giving spirit," said Barb Ritchey, Conemaugh Nason administrative nursing assistant and CORE liaison. "The greatest gift we have is life and it is a gift everyone can give."

Katelynn Metz, communications and marketing coordinator at CORE, said because of organ donation, there are fewer empty chairs at the holiday dinner table this year.

"For nearly 2,000 people across the Commonwealth, the only reason that they can enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season this December is thanks to the generosity of a donor and their family who so selflessly chose to give the gift of life in 2022," Metz said.

Metz said more than 100,000 people nationally, and nearly 7,000 people in Pennsylvania, are awaiting organ transplants. With the demand out-pacing supply, Metz and Ritchey work to dispel myths and alleviate fears people may have about becoming a donor.

Locally, Conemaugh Nason and Ritchey's efforts this past year were recognized by the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) with a platinum award on the national level, and a titanium award on the state level in the '20 HAP Donate Life Hospital Challenge. The HAP challenge encourages Pennsylvania's hospitals to increase the number of organ, tissue, and eye donors and to raise donation awareness in their communities.

Ritchey said everyone involved in organ donations are part of an "interconnected life-sustaining community."

"Our work offers hope for a second chance at life," Ritchey said.

Colleen Sullivan, director of donor family services at CORE, said organ donation offers hope that more people will survive to celebrate future Christmases.

"Please take a moment this Christmas to sign up as an organ donor and also talk to your family about your organ donation," Sullivan said. "In doing so, you offer hope to those people currently spending their Christmas waiting on a transplant."

Metz said becoming an organ donor adds another layer to the spirit of Christmas.

"What better way to celebrate the reason for the season than by registering to become an organ and tissue donor," she said.