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Center for Organ Recovery & Education’s Lisa Upsher Named Dignity & Respect Champion

Pittsburgh, February 19, 2013The 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, is pleased to announce that Lisa Upsher was selected as a Dignity & Respect Champion. An initiative of the Dignity & Respect Council of Greater Pittsburgh, Upsher was named an individual who embraces diversity and demonstrates compassion and mutual respect for others. At CORE, Upsher serves as the Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) director and the multicultural and faith-based community outreach coordinator. She was nominated for the award by a member of CORE’s Pennsylvania Multicultural Task Force.

“Lisa’s dedication and commitment to outreach and education about organ, tissue and cornea donation within the multicultural community makes her a great candidate for this award,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. “On behalf of CORE, I’m pleased to congratulate Lisa on being named the Dignity & Respect Champion, and would like to thank her for her continued contributions to the organization.”

In February 2010, The Dignity & Respect Council of Greater Pittsburgh began this monthly program to recognize people who live their lives according to the values of dignity and respect. Dignity & Respect Champions are selected following nominations from the general public. Later this year, a Salute to the Champions breakfast will be held where Upsher and the other champions will be honored.

Because conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are often more prevalent in the minority community, minorities make up more than 50 percent of the people on the national organ transplant list. African Americans represent the highest percentage of multicultural patients in need of a transplant, followed by Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and people of multi-racial descent.

Nationally, more than 116,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant. At least 18 will die each day without receiving one, including two from CORE’s service area. For every person who donates their organs, tissues and corneas, up to 50 lives can be saved or dramatically improved.

For more information about CORE, visit core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.

About CORE
The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States. CORE works closely with donor families and designated health care professionals to coordinate the surgical recovery of organs, tissues and corneas for transplantation. CORE also facilitates the computerized matching of donated organs and placement of corneas. With headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Charleston, West Virginia, CORE oversees a region that encompasses 155 hospitals and almost six million people throughout western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, NY. For more information, visit core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.

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