National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week brings recognition to the need for organ donation and also celebrates the success of people who have had transplants.
Regional Coordinator for the Canadian Transplant Association Donna Krilow-Lorenz says the Humboldt tragedy has spurred on the conversation around the importance of organ donation and has made it easy to get the word out across Canada this week. She adds that there are endless opportunities for a full body organ donor to give with the advancements being made in the medical field.
“When somebody does die they tell us that up to eight lives can be saved and 75 other can be effected positively from tissue donation that could be corneas that give sight to someone, it could be a donation of skin that will help a burn victim.”
On Monday, Lloydminster joined in the awareness week with Mayor Gerald Aalbers signing a proclamation, as well as raising the organ donation flag at City Hall.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) have launched their own awareness campaign, along side the national campaign. The government of Saskatchewan has allocated $566,000 to SHA to establish a leadership model for organ and tissue donation.
Krilow-Lorenz says that the most important part is sharing your wishes of being a organ donor with loved ones.
“Even if you have registered your intent you really must take the time to talk to your family about it because it will be whoever is with you at the end of your life in hospital that will make the final decision on whether they will allow you to be an organ and tissue donor.”
In Saskatchewan, to become a donor, a person has to have an organ donor sticker put on their provincial health care card, as well as filling out a Intention to Donate Card. In Alberta, there is an online registry that people can sign up for when they got to renew their drivers licence or go to myhealth.alberta.ca.