Tim Kaye introduced David Bishop, representing the Trillium Gift of Life Network, who gave an informative talk on organ and tissue donations.The Trillium Network, Ontario’s central organ and tissue donation agency, was established at the end of 2000 by the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. The agency’s mandate includes the coordination and planning of organ and tissue donation and transplantation, education
and research related to donation. Bishop said his agency has a formal relationship with 69 hospitals across the province.
The agency also works with nine transplant programs, seven tissue banks, more than 400 organ and tissue donation advocates and 24 advocate groups. Its goal is to approach every eligible donor family and honour every registered consent to donate The agency also tries to ensure that families can honour their loved one’s end of life wishes.
Bishop offered statistics for 2016 that showed the number of transplant recipients and the number on people on the wait list. Kidney transplants topped the list in both number of recipients and waiting list followed by liver and lungs. In all there were 146 transplants with 53 remaining on a wait list. He added that one person dies every three
days waiting for an organ. Bishop said that one organ donor can save up to eight lives and enhance another 75 through the gift of tissue donation. He pointed out that tissue
donations include eyes, bones, skin and heart valves.
Bishop emphasized that it is important for prospective donors to talk to their families about their decision since families will be asked for final consent.He said that only 32 per cent of Ontarians are registered organ and tissue donors. He also pointed out that donor registration is tied to your health card and not your drivers licence. You can register in person at Service Ontario when you renew your health card photo ID or
you can do it online with your health card number at www.beadonor.ca.
Our speaker at the January meeting will be club member Dan Plunkett speaking about problems in the music industry.