PITTSBURGH, March 14, 2013 – The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), a federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and parts of New York, is pleased to recognize Dr. Thomas Cacciarelli as a recipient of a 2013 Tribute to Excellence Award, presented by the American Liver Association’s Pittsburgh chapter. Cacciarelli, a transplant surgeon at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, was recognized alongside the other award recipients at the annual awards luncheon on Friday, March 8 at the Fairmont Pittsburgh. He was nominated by CORE for his ongoing commitment and support of organ donation.

“Dr. Cacciarelli has dedicated his life to providing life-saving transplants to people suffering from liver disease. As a result of Dr. Cacciarelli’s vision, dedication and commitment to the advancement of organ transplantation at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, the program has continued to grow, and the number of veterans able to receive a life-saving transplant has increased,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. “We are pleased to congratulate Dr. Cacciarelli for being chosen as one of the recipients of this year’s Tribute to Excellence Awards and thank him for his continued support of CORE.”

Appointed in 1999 as a VA transplant surgeon, Dr. Cacciarelli has performed nearly 400 transplants and has worked to improve clinical outcomes for liver transplantation in the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Dr. Cacciarelli also serves as an active member of CORE’s medical advisory board, which works to plan the best possible outcomes for transplant recipients through proper donor management.

Nationally, more than 115,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant. At least 18 will die each day without receiving one, including two from CORE’s service area. For every person who donates their organs, tissues and corneas, up to 50 lives can be saved or dramatically improved.

For more information about CORE, visit core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.

About CORE
The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States. CORE works closely with donor families and designated health care professionals to coordinate the surgical recovery of organs, tissues and corneas for transplantation. CORE also facilitates the computerized matching of donated organs and placement of corneas. With headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Charleston, West Virginia, CORE oversees a region that encompasses 155 hospitals and almost six million people throughout western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, NY. For more information, visit core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.