PITTSBURGH, February 25, 2016 – 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, achieved a significant milestone in 2015 with 207 donors that led to 598 lives saved or enhanced through transplants.

The record year is a result of several factors including, solid, trusting relationships with donor hospitals and physicians, strong collaborations with local and regional transplant centers, and a state-of-the-art surgical facility at CORE’s headquarters.

“Organ, tissue and cornea donation provides hope, strength and life to others. With the number of people waiting for a transplant far exceeding the organs, tissue and corneas that are transplanted, the need is great,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO, CORE. “Our relationships with nursing staffs, advisory council representatives and physicians enable us to have strong partnerships at donor hospitals. We have also created strong relationships with transplant centers enabling the best utilization of organs, tissue and corneas.”

CORE’s two on-site operating rooms provide the organization the ability to bring in highly skilled medical personnel to recover organs, tissue and corneas onsite – freeing space in hospital operating rooms and improving responsiveness to donor families.

Nationally, more than 121,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant. At least 22 will die each day without receiving one, including two from CORE’s service area. For every person who donates their organs, tissue and corneas, up to 50 lives can be saved or dramatically improved.