Forty-five percent of Pennsylvania drivers have made a pledge for life. They want to leave a positive legacy when they die.

Anyone of any age can join this group simply by making a check mark in a box.

The people in this group are organ donors. As organ donors, each one may help more than 50 other people have a better life.

“People will say organ donation will be an end of life decision,” said Misty Enos of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE). “Really, you're making a pledge now to donate in the future.”

Designated by the United States government, CORE covers Western Pennsylvania and all of West Virginia. It coordinates organ donations with about 155 hospitals in that region.

However, only four hospitals in Pittsburgh and one in Charleston, W.Va., do transplants.

Two people from CORE's area die every day waiting for a transplant.

Enos said, “The need is great, and we continue to raise the number of donors but not fast enough.”

There is no cost to become an organ donor. It can be done at any Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles center.

People renewing their driver's licenses can mark their renewal form to become an organ donor. Licensed drivers and those who have state photo IDs also can do this at any time online.

Here are three ways to register as an organ donor:

• Call 800-366-6777.

• Go to www.donatelife-pa.org.; scroll down and click on “sign up today”; this links to the state's donor registration page; follow the steps on the page.

• Go to www.dmv.state.pa.us; click on “driver and vehicle services”; scroll down and click on “add organ donor designation”; follow the steps in that section.

When registering, a person can donate $1 for organ tissue awareness education. Pennsylvania tax return forms also have a box for people to donate a portion of their tax refund to organ donation awareness.

The DMV website has information about organ donation and includes a link to CORE's website.

The partnership between DMV and CORE began in 1994.

Jan McKnight, community relations coordinator at the state Department of Transportation Safety Administration in Harrisburg, who is an organ donor, said, “I know too many heartbreaking stories of people waiting. I think it is one of the most selfless acts there is to pass on your organs to someone else in order to sustain their life.”

There are few barriers to becoming an organ donor. Consider these facts.

• Organized religions support organ donation.

• Donors can specify what organs they want to donate.

• It generally takes less than one day for organs to be removed.

• The body goes to the funeral home of the person's choice.

• It is a surgical procedure so an open casket and usual funeral arrangements still are possible.

“If your family member was going to die without a life saving organ, what decision would you want another family to make?” Enos asked. “People die waiting for an organ.”

The biggest fear and myth about organ donation is that medical staff won't work as hard to save a person's life if organ donor is marked on the driver's license.

“That is absolutely not true,” said Enos. “It's not until all lifesaving measures have been exhausted that a hospital will call us.”

Organs for transplant must be taken in a hospital and the donor's brain must no longer be working. The donor must be pronounced brain dead in a hospital. Any decision about taking an organ is not made at the scene of an accident.

However, if someone dies away from a hospital, the donor is considered for possible cornea and body tissue donations. In addition to organs, eyes, ligaments, tendons, bones and skin are tissues transplanted. Even heart valves and arteries can be used.

Unlike medical dramas on television, CORE is the group that consults with the family of the dying donor. Once a family understands the donor is going to die, the staff at the hospital calls CORE. By law, hospitals in this area call CORE for every death. CORE then evaluates whether there is a possibility for donation.

CORE always will honor an adult donor's wishes. CORE will never discuss making an organ donation with a family if there is hope the person will survive.

“When your family is faced with that, they are devastated and shocked,” said Enos. “Make that decision for yourself and put it on your license so your family is not faced with that decision.”

Respect and dignity for the donor and family are part of every step of the organ donation process. The medical teams understand how this makes a difference to the people close to the donor.

“It is a healing process for the donor family,” said Enos.

The greatest organ demand is for kidneys but other major organs are transplanted, too. In every case, organs must match the recipient in terms of height, weight and blood type. Medical urgency and time on the waiting list are considered also.

About 2,000 people in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia are waiting for organ transplants.

“This is a health crisis, and we need to understand and take notice of that,” said Enos. “We all need to do our part. When there is a disease threat or outbreak, we hear a lot about it. There is a buzz about precautions. But, people die every day needing an organ transplant. We need to know the facts. It saves lives that need to be saved.

“Everyone who can say yes should say yes since there is a very small window of opportunity,” said Enos. “We cannot miss one person.”

Here are the top myths about organ donation, according to the Center for Organ Recovery and Education. For more information, contact CORE at www.core.org.Myth: If I am in an accident and the doctors or nurses find my donor card, they won’t try saving me.Fact: Doctors, nurses and paramedics will do everything to try to save your life. In fact, an individual needs to be in the hospital and on a ventilator at the time of death to donate organs. CORE is not notified until all life-saving efforts have failed.Myth: My body will be mutilated and disfigured if I would donate.Fact: Donated organs and tissue are removed surgically in the regular hospital operating room. Doctors maintain dignity and respect for the donor at all times.Myth: Wealthy people are the only people who receive transplants.Fact: Organs are matched first according to height, weight and blood type, followed by medical urgency and then time accrued on the waiting list. Fame and fortune do not determine who receives a transplant. Most major insurances now cover transplants.Myth: I cannot choose what I want to donate.Fact: You may specify what organs or tissues you want to donate on your donor card. Your wishes will be followed.Myth: I am not the right age for donation.Fact: Organs may be donated from someone as young as a newborn. There is no age limit for organ donation. The general age limit for tissue donation is 80 and cornea donation is 70.Myth: If I do not sign a donor card, my organs and tissues won’t be donated.Fact: Without a donor card or donor designation, families of suitable donors will still be offered the opportunity to donate. To ensure your wishes are fulfilled, sign a donor card, place the designation on your license/state identification card and ensure your family knows your wishes.