– Ceremony recognizes West Virginia hospitals for increasing donation awareness –

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Dec. 6, 2016 – Donate Life West Virginia is honoring 29 hospitals and health systems throughout the state that have gone above and beyond to build a culture of donation within their facilities.

“The work and cooperation between the West Virginia Hospital Association and Donate Life West Virginia is an irreplaceable link to the gift of life for so many throughout this region,” said Susan Stuart, President and CEO, Center for Organ Recovery & Education. “The healthcare community is an indispensable key in connecting transplant patients with the donations they so desperately need.”

Now in its third year, the West Virginia Hospital Challenge is a collaboration between the West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA) and Donate Life West Virginia (DLWV). The campaign focuses on hospitals within the state and encourages them to bring awareness to the importance of organ, tissue and cornea donation.

This year’s honorees include the following organizations:

Platinum

• Bluefield Regional Medical Center, a Community Health Systems hospital
• Cabell Huntington Hospital
• Camden Clark Medical Center, a WVU Medicine hospital
• Davis Medical Center, Davis Health System
• J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, a WVU Medicine hospital
• Jackson General Hospital
• Logan Regional Medical Center
• Mon General Hospital, Mon Health System
• Pleasant Valley Hospital
• St. Mary’s Medical Center

Gold

• CAMC General Hospital, CAMC Health System
• Hampshire Memorial Hospital, Valley Health System
• Ohio Valley Medical Center
• Roane General Hospital
• St. Francis Hospital
• Summersville Regional Medical Center
• WV University Healthcare Berkeley Medical Center, a WVU Medicine hospital

Silver

• Beckley VA Medical Center
• Boone Memorial Hospital
• Fairmont Regional Medical Center, an Alecto Healthcare hospital
• Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, a Community Health Systems hospital
• Minnie Hamilton Health System
• Montgomery General Hospital
• Sistersville General Hospital
• United Hospital Center, a WVU Medicine hospital
• Webster County Memorial Hospital
• Weirton Medical Center
• WV University Healthcare Jefferson Medical Center, a WVU Medicine hospital

Bronze

• Princeton Community Hospital

In addition to being recognized locally, West Virginia hospitals participating in the WVHA Hospital Challenge are included in and recognized as a part of the national campaign. The national campaign is led by the national Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL), an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

More than 12,000 companies and organizations are partners in WPFL and are committed to building awareness of the critical need for organ, tissue and cornea donation registrations. This awareness is vital because approximately 119,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

About Donate Life West Virginia
Donate Life West Virginia is comprised of four federally-designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) that are dedicated to promoting and coordinating the donation of organs and tissue for transplantation – Center for Organ Recovery & Education, Lifeline of Ohio, Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates and LifeNet Health. For more information, visit www.donatelifewv.org.