Brian A. Broznick Bereavement Center & Garden

Brian A. Broznick, former CORE president & CEO and a Pittsburgh native, was a national leader in organ donation issues and served on several boards and committees sharing his passion for saving lives.

He began his transplant-focused career in 1978 as a chief renal perfusionist. In 1981, he became a senior organ procurement coordinator for the Pittsburgh Transplant Foundation, later known as CORE. He played an integral role in designing Pennsylvania Act 102, the most comprehensive organ donation law in the nation, which requires hospitals to notify organ procurement organizations regarding all deaths. Act 102 helped increase donations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and served as a model for legislation adopted around the country.

In memory of Brian, the Brian A. Broznick Bereavement Center was built to honor what colleagues called his quiet compassion for donor families. The center is a place of solace and provides a meeting place for donor and recipient families, literature and other resources, including grief counselors. These resources are available for viewing on-site or borrowed for use in the comfort of your home. For those who are not within driving distance of CORE, resources can be mailed for you to borrow.

Also created in memory of Brian A. Broznick, Brian’s Garden was created to pay tribute to his commitment to CORE’s mission and for his compassion for donor families and recipients. In 2004, the beautiful butterfly garden was dedicated to honor Brian Broznick’s life and work. The garden includes beautiful foliage, a flowing fountain and a large plaque with an inscription of a quote from “To Remember Me,” a poem by Robert N. Test: “If by chance you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do, I will live forever.” Visitors to CORE are welcome to sit and enjoy Brian’s Garden.


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