Dear Colleagues,
I am inviting you to join me in making a difference - and it will just take two minutes. You may think that you've registered as an organ and tissue donor because you've signed a donor card but you need to register on line even if you have signed a donor card. And, you need to make your wishes about organ donation known to your friends and family.
Less than 25 per cent of Ontarians have registered online and we've been asked to help change that, so from April 17-26, UHN is joining forces with St. Mike's and SickKids – three leading transplant hospitals – in a Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) campaign to increase the number of people registered as organ and tissue donors.
The goal of the Tri-Hospital Donor Registration Campaign is to inspire at least 1,500 people to register for the first time or confirm that you are registered. All you need to register is your health card number.
I encourage you to go to Beadonor.ca/123, a web site created specifically for the Tri-Hospital Campaign, to check your status, or register to be an organ and tissue donor. You can also visit the site on your smartphone or tablet.
This campaign is part of the National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week (April 22 - 27) which is dedicated to raising awareness around the need for organ and tissue donation and to honouring organ and tissue donors and their families.
From April 22 - 25, booths will be set up at Toronto Western, Toronto General, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and at the Lyndhurst site of TRI.
Because we are Canada's largest transplant centre, we are well aware of the importance and generosity of organ and tissue donors. Their wishes to donate have saved or enhanced thousands of lives. I think it is also an appropriate time to thank the UHN Organ Donation Committee for their work with all potential organ and tissue donors and families. These are the people who make every effort to support those individuals and their families who choose to donate.
I have already checked my status on the donor registry and hope that you will do the same this week.
Bob
