Health News For Champlain
Monday, September 30, 2013
Pembroke Regional Hospital
PRH Partnership With Trillium Gift Of Life Network Yields First Successful Multiple Organ Retrieval
PEMBROKE – Since joining the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) this past spring, the Pembroke Regional Hospital has had its first successful multiple organ retrieval.
As a partner in Ontario’s Routine Notification program, PRH is required to report every patient death to TGLN so that their specially trained staff can identify potential donors and initiate the process of approaching families to get consent.
Such consent was received on July 15th when, despite the best medical care, a 46-year-old man passed away. Having made it known to his family that he wished to be an organ donor, his family gave consent in the hope that something positive might result from their tragedy.
In correspondence with the Emergency Department staff, TGLN Hospital Development Coordinator Zaheer Mohammed offered thanks for the Hospital’s referral and involvement. “The expert Emergency care the patient received ensured that we were able to honour the family’s wish and save four lives through organ transplantation and further transform the lives of many more people through tissue donation.”
As a result of this family’s gift:
- A very sick young adult male received a life-saving heart transplant.
- A sick adult male received a life-saving liver transplant.
- An adult male and female both received life-saving kidney transplants. They no longer have to suffer through the rigors of dialysis and the restrictions that this places on their daily lives.
- Two individuals received the gift of sight through eye donation.
- Potentially many more lives will be transformed due to the donation of pancreas islets.
Mr. Mohammed went on to thank the staff for their dedication and expertise which helped ensure the process was successful for the patient, their family and the recipients involved.
“These recipients now have the ability to cherish further moments and a better quality of life with their families that may not have been possible without this donation,” he said.
“PRH recognizes the potential and therapeutic value to recipients and bereaved families who give consent to organ and tissue donation and its place as an integral part of quality end-of-life care,” said Francois Lemaire, Vice-President of Patient Services – Acute Care, and Chief Nursing Executive, as well as the local Executive Lead for Trillium Gift of Life.
Current reporting of deaths at the hospital is taking place in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.
If you are interested in becoming donor, or to confirm registration, look for the word “donor” on the back of your health card. If it is not there, you can become a registered organ donor by signing up at beadonor.ca, registering in person at Service Ontario or downloading the consent form from the TGHL website (giftoflife.ca) and mailing in the completed form.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communication Coordinator
Pembroke Regional Hospital
(613) 732-3675, ext. 6165 / carolyn.levesque@pemreghos.org
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