Banner Year For Organ and Tissue Donation in Ontario

Record 1,092 lives saved through transplant in 2014

TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Ontario set a new record for donation in 2014, with 265 organ donors helping to save the lives of over 1,000 people through transplant, up from 225 donors and 992 transplants in 2013. 2,010 tissue donors offered hope to thousands more through the gift of eyes, bone, skin or heart valves, up from 1,853 in 2013.

Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN), Ontario's organ and tissue donation and transplant agency, credits these breakthrough results to several new initiatives, many based on international examples of successful donation programs.  In 2014, TGLN initiated public reporting of hospital donation performance, mandated more hospitals to report potential donors to TGLN and increased physician involvement in donation.

"Ontario is a Canadian leader in donation and transplant," says Ronnie Gavsie, President and CEO of Trillium Gift of Life Network. "We're very proud of our achievements last year and look forward to reaching new heights as we build a strong culture of organ and tissue donation in Ontario."

Over 1,500 Ontarians continue to wait for a life-saving organ transplant.  One donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 others through the gift of tissue.

"Donation relies on compassion, says Dr. Sonny Dhanani, Critical Care Physician, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Chief Medical Officer, TGLN. "Last year, a record number of patients received a lifesaving transplant, thanks to the generosity of donors and their families. Unfortunately, precious opportunities for donation are lost when families don't consent to donation, usually because they are unaware of their loved ones' wishes."

In 2014, over 254,000 people in the province demonstrated their compassion by registering their consent to donate organs and tissues after death, growing the number of registered donors in the province to 3.1 million, or 26 per cent of the eligible population.

"Ontario has a strong donation and transplantation system that we can be proud of," says Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "It is important that we all take two minutes to register to donate, so that all Ontarians can count on the system to be there for them and their loved-ones in their time of need."

Quick Facts:

• Since 2013, there has been an 18 per cent increase in the number of deceased organ donors.
• Donation and transplant statistics for the last 10 years in Ontario are available at http://www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/publicreporting.htm.
• New registration rates by community are available at https://beadonor.ca/scoreboard.
• Families report that organ and tissue donation is a source of comfort as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
• Donor registration gives families clear evidence of their loved one's donation wishes and it is only accessed by TGLN to share a person's donation wishes with their family at the appropriate time. This information is confidential and does not impact a patient's medical care.
• Trillium Gift of Life Network has made it simple to register consent in two minutes at www.BeADonor.ca, or at a ServiceOntario centre when renewing a driver's licence or Ontario health card.

Trillium Gift of Life Network is a not-for-profit agency of the Government of Ontario responsible for managing organ and tissue donation for transplantation across Ontario and improving the system so that more lives can be saved.

SOURCE Trillium Gift of Life Network

Image with caption: "Record year for organ and tissue donation in Ontario (CNW Group/Trillium Gift of Life Network)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150129_C6622_PHOTO_EN_11608.jpg

Leona Hollingsworth, Senior Media Relations Advisor, Trillium Gift of Life Network, (o) 416-619-2363, (c) 416-689-7711, [email protected]