Trillium Gift of Life Network presents NBRHC with Award

Award for ongoing support of Organ and Tissue donation

Today representatives from the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) were in North Bay to present the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) with an award for the Health Centre’s ongoing support of organ and tissue donation.

Donor recipient, and NBRHC employee, Carl Svensson says the donor heart he received almost 18 years ago gave him a second chance at life. “I am thankful every day for the gift of life from a kind stranger who believed in organ donation,” Svensson said. “This gift gave me the ability to see my daughters grow up and to celebrate my upcoming 32^nd wedding anniversary.” He says he is living proof that transplants work and aims to promote the benefits of organ donation.

NBRHC was selected to receive the Hospital Achievement Award- Provincial Conversion Rate. This award is given to hospitals that met or exceeded the target of a 67% Conversion Rate in 2014/15.  Conversion Rate is the percentage of actual organs donors from the total number of potentially eligible organ donors identified upon deceased health record review.  Key factors that influence Conversion Rate are the notification of potential organ donors and working with TGLN to promote optimal approach planning.

“We are proud to acknowledge the important contributions of our hospital partners. The success of organ and tissue donation in Ontario relies on their hard work and dedication,” said Ronnie Gavsie, President and CEO at Trillium Gift of Life Network. “Together, we work to make sure families are given the opportunity to honour their loved ones wishes and save lives through organ and tissue donation.”

For many years the Health Centre has participated in organ donations, but the partnership with Trillium officially began in March 2014.  “The response from our health care team has been incredible during the process of becoming a designated facility,’ says Tiz Silveri, Vice President Clinical and Chief Nursing Executive. “As an organization we are very proud of our staff for taking the time to make the call to Trillium. These calls help facilitate the large number of organ and tissue donations we have seen over the last 18 months,” Silveri continued.

Between April and September of 2015, staff at NBRHC assisted to facilitate a better quality of life for 54 people with the gift of sight. Dr. Michael Leckie has been instrumental in this process at the hospital. “The satisfaction in knowing that our work is directly making a difference in the life of so many people young and old is a huge motivator for all of us involved with Trillium here at NBRHC,” Dr. Leckie says.

In 2015, one organ donor gave four organs to four recipients waiting to have their lives changed. Also, four multi-tissue donors transformed countless number of lives through their gift.  Dr. Donald Fung, Chief of Staff, says the process of organ donation can often be a difficult journey for both families and staff. “The knowledge that something so good can come out of a terrible and often tragic event can be a comfort and provide a lasting memory for the families,” Dr. Fung says.
For more information on the gift of organ and tissue donation, please visit beadonor.ca

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Photo caption: Pictured (l-r): Dr. Donald Fung, Chief of Staff; Tiz Silveri, Vice President Clinical and Chief Nursing Executive; Pam Durocher, Clincial nurse educator ER; Paul Heinrich, President & CEO; Carl Svensson,  donor recipient, and NBRHC employee; Janice Beitel, Director, Hospital Programs, Education and Professional Practice TGLN; Leslie Bethune, Manager Critical Care Unit & Cardio Respiratory; Ann Loyst, Director, Medicine; Dr. Michael Leckie; Candice Cowell, RN.
Missing from photo: Janis Herzog, Clinical Support Lead for the TGLN and Clinical Nurse Educator, CCU

Contact:
Lindsay Smylie Smith
Communications Specialist, NBRHC
lindsay.smyliesmith@nbrhc.onca
705.495-7592