Organ Donations Remain a Crucial Need as WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital Marks National Donate Life Month

WHEELING -- While WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital had a banner year for organ, cornea and tissue donations in 2020, the need for donors in this area and the rest of the country remains great.

In that spirit, hospital employees raised a flag in front of the hospital's main entrance Thursday morning in honor of April being National Donate Life Month and as a reminder of the crucial need for organ, cornea and tissue donations.

Kayla Gray, professional services liaison with the Center for Organ Recovery and Education, said that for many people, a robust donation base could make the difference between life and death.

"Every 20 minutes, someone dies waiting for that life-saving transplant," Gray said. "And every 10 minutes someone is added to that list. So the cycle continues each and every day and that list is getting smaller, but not enough."

WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital has played a strong role in the region in terms of those donations. Last year, the hospital had three organ donors who saved six lives, 22 cornea donors who saved the sight of 44 people and 36 tissue donors who enhanced the lives of 2,700 people.

People can sign up to be an organ donor in several ways, Gray said. They can register at the Department of Motor Vehicles, log onto CORE.org or RegisterMe.org or fill out a pamphlet.

Getting as many people to sign up as possible is very important, Gray said, because not everyone who signs up ends up being a successful donor.

"They have to meet certain criteria to be an organ donor when they pass away," Gray said. "So it's only about 1% of those who pass away who meet the criteria to help others."