PITTSBURGH, Dec. 3, 2019 – In honor of Giving Tuesday, December 3, Donate Life West Virginia is asking people to spread the word about the greatest gift you can give — the gift of life — in the form of organ donation.

“Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to channel the generous spirit of the holiday season by registering as an organ donor,” said CORE President & CEO Susan Stuart. “Each day, an average of 100 people are saved by the generosity of organ donors and their families who choose to give the gift of life. But more than 113,000 people still need life-saving organ transplants.”

Influencers and Donate Life West Virginia volunteers and advocates will be taking to Facebook on Giving Tuesday to share their stories and encourage others to do so as well. Donate Life West Virginia will have custom frames and filters available on Facebook as a way for the public to show their support as a registered organ donor.

“Giving Tuesday gives us the opportunity to open up the conversation with friends and family,” explains Colleen Sullivan, Communications Director for the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE). “Social Media has given us a larger audience for our recipient families to share these impactful stories of donation. Allowing these stories to enter a state-wide conversation is such a beautiful way to honor life and to give the greatest gift.”

Statistics show that more than 113,000 U.S. residents, over 500 of which are West Virginians, are waiting for a life-saving organ donation transplant. Every registered organ donor can save up to eight lives and improve up to 75 more. Interested individuals can register online at donatelife.wv.gov.

Held annually the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday is a global movement that was created in 2012 to be a day that encouraged people to do good. For more on Giving Tuesday, visit www.givingtuesday.org.