About Us
Donate Life Pennsylvania is a collaborative initiative between Gift of Life Donor Program (GOL), the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), and the Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Transportation, and Education. It is funded by residents of Pennsylvania through voluntary contributions included with driver’s license renewals, vehicle registrations and state income tax filings. All contributions are used by the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund to educate Pennsylvanians, build awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation, and increase the number of people who sign up to become donors on their driver’s license, learner’s permit or state identification card.
History
With organ and tissue transplantation becoming an important part of health care across the country, the Pennsylvania legislature enacted Act 102 in 1994 to educate state residents and encourage them to become organ and tissue donors. This legislation was the first of its kind and helped place Pennsylvania in the forefront of donation.
The act mandated that hospitals notify the organ procurement organizations (CORE and GOL) about potential donors and that families be given the opportunity to donate their loved one’s organs and tissues through donation. This helped to increase donation rates and was the model for federal regulation. Additionally, to ensure hospital compliance, the act established an ongoing review process of Pennsylvania’s hospitals to ensure that they were following the guidelines. Act 102 also established Pennsylvania’s driver’s license registry and provided a program to cover food and lodging expenses, up to $300, to help defer the costs to the donor family, as well as provide support to donor families.
About the Organ Donation Advisory Committee
The Organ Donation Advisory Committee reviews progress in the areas of organ and tissue donation and recommends education and awareness training programs. The committee reports to the general assembly at the end of each legislative session. It is composed of various representatives of the state as well as ordinary Pennsylvanians, including organ donor families and recipients whose lives have been touched by this important issue. View annual reports and find more information about the Organ Donation Advisory Committee.