April is Be a Donor Month, and Brightshores Health System is reminding everyone of the importance of organ and tissue donations.
Brightshores Health System's hospitals have supported 23 organ donors and families so far. Those donations have saved 52 lives.
An additional 196 tissue donors enhanced the lives of many across Ontario. Tissue donations include corneas, bone, skin, heart valves and tendons.
Brightshores continues to work with Ontario Health’s Trillium Gift of Life Network, something it has done since 2012. The Gift of Life Network helps to coordinate and deliver tissue donations and and transplantation services across the province.
One organ donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 others through tissue donation.
Brightshores is encouraging more individuals to register to be an organ and tissue donor. Visit www.beadonor.ca to learn more or register.
"It is incredibly meaningful for our team to work with patients and families knowing the lives that are changed by the generosity of donors," said Dr. Kseniya Troyan, Brightshores Hospital Donation Physician. "I encourage people in our community to consider registering their consent to donate if they haven’t already. Organ and tissue donations save and enhance lives of countless people."
"At Brightshores we recognize Be A Donor month every April to raise awareness for the importance of organ and tissue donations and encourage people to register to donate," said Colleen Ouwendyk, Director of Critical Care & Rehab at Brightshores. "Fourteen hundred people on average are waiting for a life-saving organ while thousands more are in need of a tissue donation. Every donation offers hope."