Despite pandemic, region sets record for organ, tissue transplants in 2020

Correction: Susan Stuart is CEO of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education. Her name was incorrect in original version of this story.

Despite the covid-19 pandemic and all of the hospital restrictions that came along with it, the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) experienced a second record-breaking year, facilitating more organ, tissue and cornea donations in the region than ever before in 2020.

CORE facilitated 792 transplants in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, N.Y., last year, an increase of nearly 20% from 2019 (which had also been a record-breaking year), working in partnership with 140 hospitals in the region. The number of transplants was made possible by 324 donors, a 28% increase. Tissue and cornea donors increased by 9%.

“I think it was really made possible through resilience and agility,” said CEO Susan Stuart.

According to CORE’s data specific to Western Pennsylvania, the increases were reflected in almost every transplant center. Allegheny General Hospital had a 9% increase in organ donors from 2019, UPMC Presbyterian a 17% increase and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh a 14% increase.

While many of the transplants were made possible by people who had previously signed up to be organ donors, Stuart said the CORE team often meets with families of deceased non-donors, to make the case for them to authorize a transplant.

That was made especially challenging in long portions of 2020, when most hospitals could not allow excessive visitors. CORE team members could no longer meet with families in intensive care units or private rooms in the hospital.

“We had to change the way we were obtaining authorizations,” Stuart said. “We did things out in parking lots. Sometimes we had to go to their homes, or we did it virtually. It was just the ability of the hospitals and our teammates to make sure we were providing the compassion and being responsive to the families’ needs.”

The need for eligible organ and tissue donors remains high, Stuart said, especially since driver’s license centers were closed for much of last year, which is where many people are prompted to sign up. Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the national transplant waiting list, yet only half of Pennsylvania residents are registered donors.

But with centers back open, Stuart is confident CORE can continue on the same trajectory. She added that in West Virginia, the organization successfully lobbied for people to be able to register as a donor on their hunting and fishing licenses. They hope to do the same in Pennsylvania this year.

The organization has set even higher goals for 2021, aiming for more than 324 donors.

“There are over 110,000 individuals counting on us to do this,” Stuart said. “They don’t get a chance, just because there’s a pandemic, to come off the list or not get their transplant. They still need that transplant to live, and they are counting on us.”