The focus is to get every eligible person in the region registered as an organ donor - especially because Pittsburgh is home to some of the top transplant centers in the world.
According to Play it Forward Pittsburgh, the city's rate of organ donor registration falls more than 10 percent below the national average. The campaign's goal is to "make Pittsburgh a City of Organ Donation Champions."
At Saturday's home game vs. Toronto at PPG Paints Arena (7 p.m.), the Penguins are encouraging fans to register as organ donors. Among the initiatives:
- Two Play It Forward Pittsburgh tables will be set up in the concourse for fans to register to become donors.
- All day Saturday, fans may also text PGHProud to 313131. One lucky fan who texts will win an autographed Matt Murray jersey.
- Six-year-old heart transplant patient Jameson McKain will be the Hometown Hero of the Game.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation will make a donation to Play it Forward Pittsburgh to support the Starzl Network for Pediatric Transplantation Excellence (at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC).
