People are encouraged to sign organ donation card

[okarol]

People are encouraged to sign organ donation card
Updated 4 hours ago
   

Monique Fournier will soon be saying goodbye to dialysis.

But even though the Greater Sudbury woman is set to receive a kidney from her husband Michael, who has been found to be a perfect match, Fournier, 55, still hopes that more people can come off the waiting list for organs.

"When I found out I had kidney disease I was devastated," said Fournier at the Irish Heritage Club of Sudbury's press conference Monday at Tom Davies Square announcing Organ Donor Awareness Week. "So was my family and friends. Through education, I now have hope. I am on the transplant list. It could take six months to several years. My husband was tested. He is a positive match. It is just a matter of time (for the operation). (But) Please sign the donation card. It's very important. It's very important to me."

Some 50 area residents are now waiting for organ transplants. Across Ontario, the figure is about 1,700. According to the Trillium Gift of Life Network, which co-ordinates organ and tissue donations in Ontario, however, someone waiting for an organ transplant in Ontario dies every three days.

One of the reasons for that high mortality rate is that only about 16 per cent of Ontarians aged 16 and over have signed donor cards or given their consent on their health card to donate organs and any needed tissues in the event of their death.

A person who donates organs and tissues can save up to eight lives and also assist 75 other people.

Janet Owl of Sagamok First Nation west of Greater Sudbury was not familiar with organ donation several years ago. Today, she is a big advocate.

That's because her grandson, Keenan Toulouse-Janssen, now three years old, was born with a life-threatening liver condition and urgently needed a transplant. A donor match in the family - the tot's aunt Sara Kent - resulted in the donation of 20 per cent of the aunt's left lobe of her liver Jan. 8, 2007, and the youngster is doing well today.

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