Governor Corbett Encourages Participation in Organ Donation Program Following Federal Ruling

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today reminded Pennsylvanians that it only takes 30 seconds to become an organ or tissue donor, but that those 30 seconds can mean a lifetime to a child or adult in need of a transplant.

The reminder comes on the heels of a federal court ruling in the case of Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year old girl from Philadelphia who is receiving care at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and has been awaiting a lung transplant.

Corbett, as well as several other federal and state officials, sent letters to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking her to consider an exception to current age restrictive organ donation policies that would preclude children under 12 from receiving adult organs.

"Sarah Murnaghan's story is a reminder of the gift Pennsylvanians can provide to so many children and adults in need of a transplant," Corbett said. "It only takes 30 seconds to choose to become an organ donor. More than 4.4 million Pennsylvanians have said 'Yes' to organ and tissue donation, but there is a need for greater involvement."

Pennsylvanians can become donors when registering on their driver's license, learner's permit or for a state identification card. Parents and guardians can also choose to donate children's organs or tissue.

The state's organ donation program is led by Donate Life PA, a collaborative initiative between the two organ procurement organizations serving Pennsylvania, Gift of Life Donor Program and the Center for Organ & Recovery Education, and the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Transportation.

Recently, Donate Life PA, with support from the Departments of Health and Transportation, announced a new campaign to register an additional 200,000 new donors over the next two years. Titled "30 Seconds," it features real Pennsylvanians from across the state who agreed to share their personal stories in the hopes that it will encourage their fellow citizens to register. Thirty seconds represents the amount of time it takes to log onto DonateLifePa.org and sign up to become an organ and tissue donor.

For more information, visit DonateLifePA.org or www.pa.gov.

Media contact:  Christine Cronkright or Janet Kelley, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor