Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Receives Hospital Achievement Award in Organ and Tissue Donation

by Raiili Pellizzari October 4, 2024

“Working together with our Provincial partners improves lives for many — we will continue to support organ donation whenever possible,” stated Adam Vinet, Vice President, Patient Experience and Chief Nursing Executive and Regional Vice President, Regional Cancer Care (pictured third from the left). “This could not be possible without the care, compassion and dedication of our frontline staff. They put in the time and effort to have the difficult conversations with patients and families. The selfless decision of the patients and their families is what saves lives, and that is just remarkable.”

Ontario Health (Trillium Gift of Life Network [TGLN]) has once again recognized Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) with an achievement award for its commitment to organ and tissue donation.

TBRHSC has been presented with the Provincial Conversion Rate Award, which is given to hospitals who exceed TGLN’s target conversion rate of 63 percent. This is the fourth time TBRHSC has received this award, reaching a conversion rate of 67 percent. This year’s rate matches what TBRHSC achieved in two of the previous years it won the award – in 2016 and 2020.

The conversion rate is the percentage of potential organ donors (patients in a hospital setting that are deemed medically suitable for donation upon passing) who went on to become actual donors.

“I am so proud of the team here and their incredible work in this area,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “Organ donation is a complex process, and the conversion rate reflects how well Ontario Health (TGLN) and our Hospital work together to provide life-saving opportunities and enhance people’s lives.”

Ontario Health (TGLN)’s mission is to save and enhance more lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation in Ontario. In 2023/2024, out of 380 organ donors from across the province, TBRHSC supported eight donors, which led to 31 organs donated for transplant, saving 28 lives.

“Working together with our Provincial partners improves lives for many — we will continue to support organ donation whenever possible,” stated Adam Vinet, Vice President, Patient Experience and Chief Nursing Executive and Regional Vice President, Regional Cancer Care. “This could not be possible without the care, compassion and dedication of our frontline staff. They put in the time and effort to have the difficult conversations with patients and families. The selfless decision of the patients and their families is what saves lives, and that is just remarkable.”

Northern Ontario communities are among the leaders in the province when it comes to the number of registrants per capita. Thunder Bay has 52 percent of its eligible population registered as organ donors, ranking the city in 46th spot provincially out of 170 communities.

There are more than 1,200 people in Ontario waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. For more information on organ and tissue donation in Ontario, or to register your consent for organ and tissue donation, visit www.BeADonor.ca. Remember to talk to your family about your wishes.