MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine is proud to join Donate Life West Virginia and organizations around the state in celebration of West Virginia Donor Day on Aug. 1. Hundreds of West Virginians are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Unfortunately, in West Virginia and across the country, there is a critical shortage of registered organ donors. 

West Virginia Donor Day is celebrated on Aug. 1 each year in recognition of the eight lives that can be saved by one organ donor. With about 500 West Virginians and more than 100,000 individuals nationally on the transplant waiting list currently on the transplant waiting list, the need for more registered organ and tissue donors is a public health crisis — but it’s one that can be changed.

“Organ donation is a powerful way to help others in the event of your death,” Lynsey Biondi, M.D., WVU Medicine Transplantation physician director and kidney transplantation surgical director, said. “However, it’s important to remember that organ donation isn’t just an end-of-life decision, healthy people can also safely donate a kidney while they are still living.” 

On Donor Day, organizations across the state come together to support organ, eye, and tissue donation and help create a unifying moment across the state where everyone works together to educate and encourage others to register as organ donors. 

“Registering as an organ donor only takes a few minutes but can make a life-long impact on someone who has been waiting for a transplant,” Mike Shullo, Pharm.D., WVU Medicine Transplant Alliance vice president, said. “Talk to your friends and loved ones about the choice to become an organ donor and make sure you are registered. These simple steps can make a difference in ensuring your organs can help someone.”

The decision to register as an organ donor can have a pivotal impact on the lives of many West Virginians. For more information on the WVU Medicine Transplant Alliance, visit WVUMedicine.org/Transplant. To register as a donor, visit RegisterMe.org/WVUMedicine.