Independence Health System Celebrates National Donate Life Month

Flag-Raising Activities Raise Awareness of the Importance of Organ Donation

BUTLER, Pa., April. 1, 2026 — Independence Health System celebrates National Donate Life Month throughout April. Nationally, more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant, including over 6,000 people in Pennsylvania and more than 500 in West Virginia. On average, 13 people die each day waiting for a transplant they desperately need. Someone is added to the transplant waiting list every eight minutes.

Annually, the hospitals of Independence Health System join the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) to raise awareness about organ, tissue and cornea donation and to encourage donor registration during April’s celebration of Donate Life Month. In doing so, Independence Health System also participates in the Donate Life Challenge, sponsored by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).

“During National Donate Life Month, we honor the donors and families whose generosity saves and heals lives,” said Susan Stuart, President & CEO of Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE). “This past year, 485 organ donors made 1,254 life-saving organ transplants possible, while 990 cornea transplants restored sight, and 1,840 tissue donors helped heal others. Each yes to donation allows hope to take root and lives to grow. Donate Life Month is a time to recognize the lasting impact of that choice.” 

To underscore the importance of organ donation, Independence Health System will hold public flag-raising ceremonies on April 6 in the Westmoreland area at Frick and Westmoreland Hospitals, on April 13 in the Latrobe area at Latrobe Hospital, on April 16 in the Butler area at Butler Memorial Hospital, and on April 17 in the Clarion area at Clarion Hospital. 

The health system will also highlight the importance of donor designation through radio shows featuring health system staff and CORE representatives on KDKA and WISR during the month. Internal activities will also take place, including the observance of Blue and Green Day on April 10. These events serve as powerful reminders of the impact of donation, celebrating the hope and healing it brings to recipients and their loved ones. 

“Donate Life Month reminds us of the extraordinary impact one decision can have,” said Chief Medical Officer Michael Fiorina, DO, FAAFP. “As a health system, we are committed to supporting the gift of life by encouraging conversations about organ donation and honoring the donors who make second chances possible.”

Associate Chief Medical Officer Mary Elizabeth Kovacik Eicher, MD, MPH, added, “Each donor and family who chooses to give the gift of life represents true generosity and courage. Their decisions not only save lives but also strengthen our communities. We remain dedicated to raising awareness, supporting donor families, and ensuring every patient waiting for a transplant has hope.”

The Need: There Are More Lives to Save 

• More than 100,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. 
• Every eight minutes, another person is added to the waiting list. 
• More than 90,000 people across the nation await a kidney transplant—the organ in greatest demand—followed by liver, heart, and lung transplants. 
• Multicultural communities, often at higher risk for conditions like diabetes and hypertension, make up more than 50% of the national transplant waiting list. 

Individuals are encouraged to talk with family members and friends about registering as a donor. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, and a tissue donor can heal over 75 others. To sign up, visit core.org/register.

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About Independence Health System

Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 7,000 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning a multi-county region. 

The System includes tertiary programs rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery, earning accolades from a number of prestigious outlets and organizations. Locally owned and locally controlled, Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually. The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. Learn more at www.independence.health.

About CORE 

The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of the more than 50 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States, serving more than five million people in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, New York. CORE coordinates the recovery and matching of organs, tissues and corneas for transplant within our service region, and works tirelessly to create a culture of donation within the hospitals and communities we serve. CORE’s mission is to Save and Heal lives through donation, ultimately ending the deaths of those on the transplant waiting list, while maintaining integrity for the donation process, dignity for the donors, and compassion for their families. CORE is a winner of the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, a presidential award that recognizes nonprofits for their innovation and excellence. For more information, visit www.core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.