An extraordinary cross-country journey of gratitude rolled into Prince Edward Island today to increase public awareness of the importance of organ donation and to thank all those involved from medical staff to donor families.
Mike and Tim Ross of Camrose, Alberta are roller skiing 6245 km across Canada from Edmonton to St. John's to attend the 2nd Canadian Transplant Games being held in St. John's August 6 to 11. This is part of the Ross family's ‘Thank You, 100 Times Over' campaign to increase awareness of the importance of organ donation.
The ‘Thank You, 100 Times Over' campaign springs from the personal experiences of the Ross family whose daughter Jenny Ross, now 14, received a life saving transplant at the University of Alberta 10 years ago becoming among the first patients treated in the region. The campaign is aimed to thank and pay tribute to the hundreds of donors each year who remain anonymous.
"Organ donation can change the lives of a family forever by giving a new lease of life to a loved one like it has to our family," said Mike Ross. "From the bottom of our family's heart we would like to thank the hundreds of families who, each year save the lives of Canadians they may never meet. They are true unsung heroes."
There were approximately 470 organ transplant procedures performed in Canada in 2000, an increase of approximately 30% since 1992, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Atlantic Canada has one of the highest rates of organ donation procedures with 18.9 per million of population. This compares to the national average of 15.3 per million of population. Despite this growth, however, demand for organ donation continues to outstrip supply across Canada.
"Organ donation is an important part of the medical process. As medical technologies continue to improve the long-term success rate of such procedures will increase, offering hope to more patients and families for a better quality of life. I applaud the spirit of those behind the ‘Thanks, 100 Times Over' campaign to increase public awareness of this important issue," said Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem.
"Successful organ donation programs rely not only on the generosity of donors and their families but also on skilled professionals who utilize the latest procedures to ensure long-term success for the patient. Initiatives such as the ‘Thanks, 100 Times Over' campaign will help educate more people as to the health benefits of organ donation programs," said Dr. Gerald O'Hanley, Chair of the Health Care and Promotion Committee of the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island.
Islanders can register as an organ donor whenever they obtain or renew their Prince Edward Island driver's license at any Access PEI site. Should someone be involved in a traffic fatality or other event, there will then be a record on the person's driver's license as to their wishes which then can be confirmed with the next of kin.
"It's most important that Islanders who choose to register as an organ donor make their wishes clear with their families and loved ones as well. By doing so it can save a great deal of confusion and delay when time may be of the essence to ensure a safe procedure to help save the life of another," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Don MacKinnon.
Islanders interested in learning more about organ donation can contact their family physician, the provincial government website at www.gov.pe.ca or www.thanks100timesover.ca.