Ottawa – This week is National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week — a week to raise awareness about the critical need for more donors across the country. Every year, thousands of Canadians receive life-saving organ transplants, while thousands still wait, and hundreds die because not enough organs are available.
It is also a time to celebrate the lives of those who have received lifesaving transplants, and recognize those who have donated to save others, such as Humboldt Broncos player Logan Boulet, whose parents honoured his wishes to become an organ donor by donating his organs following the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018. Logan’s decision to donate his organs saved six lives and inspired more than 150,000 people across the country to become organ donors.
While Logan’s donation inspired many, over 4,000 Canadians are still waiting for life-saving transplants. Despite significant progress, there remains an urgent need for more organ donors in Canada as we are still unable to meet the needs of all patients waiting for an organ.
Together – with provinces and territories, Canadian Blood Services, patients, families, clinicians, and researchers – the Government of Canada is working to improve the organ donation and transplantation (ODT) system through the ODT Collaborative (the Collaborative).
To achieve this common objective, the Collaborative is developing recommendations and concrete actions that can contribute to transformative changes in the ODT system. Health Canada is also providing funding for initiatives such as Pan-Canadian ODT Data and Performance Reporting System and the Improving Access to Living Donor Kidney Transplantation (LDKT) in Communities Marginalized by Race and Ethnicity in Canada. These initiatives will result in better patient outcomes, including equitable access, and an increase in the number and quality of successful transplantations across the country.
We know that organ donation is a deeply personal decision. If you want to donate your organs, it is important to discuss this decision with your family and loved ones to ensure your wishes are known. We also know that waiting for, or living with, an organ transplant can cause anxiety, depression, and guilt. If you or someone you know needs support, the Wellness Together Canada portal is available 24/7 and offers free online mental health and substance use services, including confidential counselling sessions.
This week especially, we encourage you to think about making the choice to become an organ donor and make a difference in the life of someone in need. When you give an organ, you give so much more — you give hope and the most precious gift of more time. Register as an organ donor today. – Jean-Yves Duclos, PC, MP; Carolyn Bennett, PC, MP