A record-breaking 150 deceased organ donors gave the ‘gift of life’ in BC last year, contributing to an all-time annual high of 529 patients who received a transplant.
The 150 organ donors are an increase of 23 percent from the previous donor record of 122, set in 2018.
“Becoming an organ donor is an incredibly important decision that can save a life,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a news release.
“The selfless actions of people in our province are helping others to get new leases alive, and I want to thank everyone in BC who chooses to become donors.”
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British Columbia has been active in encouraging people to become organ donors and there are nearly 1.6 million registered organ donors across the province.
Campaigns focused on raising education as the provincial government decided not to create an opt-out system, such as the one in Nova Scotia.
That supposed consent system, which made headlines when it went into effect in 2021, requires people to say they do not want to donate organs, rather than to register as a potential donor.
Russel Stevenson, a 58-year-old resident of Vernon, BC, donated his liver, pancreas, lungs and both kidneys last year.
His wife, Sylvie, said in an interview that despite how difficult it was to lose him, it gave her comfort to think of the people Russel helped.
“As much as I was hurt, I think of the recipients and their response when they received the call that an organ was available,” she told Global News.
“I wish them all the best with their second chance at life and wish that they would benefit from Russel’s gifts.”
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Last year there were 66 lung transplants, 97 liver transplants, 40 kidney transplants and 22 heart transplants in BC last year – all record numbers, according to the province.
As of December 31, 2021, however, 585 British Columbians were still on the organ transplant list.
The government encourages people to register as donors.
“Thank you to the hundreds of health workers who work in a coordinated manner across the province to promote and support organ donation and transplantation,” BC Transplant CEO Eric Lun said.
“In another extraordinary year, their combined efforts have given a record 529 transplant recipients the chance to improve or save their lives.”
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