SAH Awarded for Championing Organ and Tissue Donation

November 7, 2018 – Sault Area Hospital (SAH) was recognized by Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN), Ontario’s organ and tissue donation and transplantation agency, for its outstanding efforts to integrate organ and tissue donation into quality end-of-life care.

SAH was presented with the Provincial Conversion Rate Award for meeting or exceeding the target of a 58 percent conversion rate set by TGLN. Organ donation is a complex process and the conversion rate reflects how well TGLN and SAH work together to save live lives. This is SAH’s second year receiving this award. “We are pleased to once again, receive this wonderful recognition by TGLN of the excellent work that our health care team is doing to help save lives,” says Sue Roger, Senior Director of Clinical Programs at SAH. “It is a true testament of our team’s commitment to offering families the opportunity to make a lifesaving choice.”

SAH is one of 24 hospitals and partners to be awarded a 2017/18 Trillium Gift of Life Network Hospital Award. “We are proud to acknowledge the important contributions of our hospital partners because the success of organ and tissue donation in Ontario relies on their hard work and dedication,” says Ronnie Gavsie President and CEO, Trillium Gift of Life Network. “This award reflects the continued commitment of Sault Area Hospital to implement donation best practices and offer families the opportunity to make a lifesaving choice.”

Today, more than 1,500 people in Ontario are on the waitlist for a lifesaving organ transplant, and every three days someone will die without one. While the majority of Canadians support donation, only 33 percent of Ontarians have formally registered their consent for organ and tissue donation.

Some people believe that their age or medical condition prevents them from being a donor. In actuality, age does not preclude someone from becoming a donor, and each potential donor is assessed at the time of death for medical suitability. Others may not have registered under the misguided assumption that doctors won’t work hard to save a life if that patient is a registered donor, but in fact, the first priority is always to save a life. Donation is only considered after all life-saving efforts are exhausted, there is no chance of recovery, and the family accepts the diagnosis of death.

SAH exceeds the provincial average with a registration rate of 46 percent, ranking 60 out of 170 communities in Ontario. Visit www.beadonor.ca to register or find out more.