Take Action and Register for the Life-Saving Gift of Organ Donation

National Donor Day shines spotlight on need for blood, organ, tissue donation

February 14, 2022

On National Donor Day, HAP and Pennsylvania’s hospital community are raising awareness about the life-saving gift of organ and tissue donation, while encouraging residents to register as donors.

Celebrated on February 14, National Donor Day highlights how donors save lives through organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelet, and marrow donations, and the thousands of Pennsylvanians who are on the waiting list for transplant. This year in particular, state and national organizations have raised concerns about the blood supply crisis and the ongoing need for donations to support patient care in communities across the U.S.

Statistics from the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network highlight the importance of donation:

• More than 106,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list, including about 7,000 in Pennsylvania
• A new person is added to the list every nine minutes
• 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant
• A single donor can save eight lives and help 75 more
• 39,000 transplants were performed during 2020

If you haven’t signed up already, consider registering to become an organ and tissue donor through Donate Life Pennsylvania. It takes less than a minute to sign up online. You can also register when renewing your driver's license, learner's permit, or photo identification card. Additional information about donating blood also is available online.

HAP and Pennsylvania’s hospitals are proud to support the life-saving gift of organ donation. Every year, HAP partners with the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and the Gift of Life Donor Program—along with the Pennsylvania Department of Health—to host HAP’s 2022 Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge.

The challenge encourages Pennsylvania hospitals to increase organ donation awareness and designations within their hospitals and communities. This year’s challenge is April 1–30, 2022, in conjunction with National Donate Life Month.

On National Donor Day, HAP encourages everyone to spread awareness about blood, organ, platelet, and tissue donation, and to learn more about becoming a donor.

To learn more, contact Mary Marshall, HAP’s director, workforce and professional services.