Introduction, history 
and future directions of 
organ and tissue donation 
and transplantation

One LifeÉMany Gifts is a curriculum resource to 
educate senior secondary school students about 
the vital importance of organ and tissue donation 
and transplantation. It brings to life the drama, 
generosity and the life-saving promise of 
donation and transplantation. 

In June 2011, Ontarians started registering 
as organ and tissue donors online at 


Previously, in Ontario, you could only register in person at a 
ServiceOntario centre or by, completing and mailing 
a Gift of Life Consent Form. These are still valid methods of 
registration, but online registration is a game changer Ð it is the 
easiest and fastest way to register consent, taking just two 
minutes, in a secure online environment. 
By logging on to beadonor.ca you are not only able to 
register, but you can also check your current status as an 
organ and tissue donor Ð and all you need is your Ontario 
health card number. Many Ontarians believe that 
signing a donor card means they are registered. They are 
mistaken. The donor card pre-dates OntarioÕs online 
registry, so you must register online at beadonor.ca. 
The age of consent is 16. 

1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives 
The Gift of 8 Movement, an extension of www.beadonor.ca, 
is a new way for individuals and organizations to encourage their 
friends, family and colleagues to register their consent 
to organ and tissue donation using a customized page that 
can be shared via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and email. 

Gift of 8 pages can be created in 15 minutes and are useful for sharing information about your 
personal connection or passion about organ and tissue donation. Sharing these pages helps 
to spread awareness and encourages people to make their own decisions about registration. 
Detailed donor registration data for communities all across Ontario is also available on the 
Gift of 8 homepage. 

While OntarioÕs overall donor registration rate is 22%, registration rates in individual 
communities vary widely across the province Ð from under 10% to 50%. You can draw on this 
information to encourage your community to register consent to donate organs and tissue 
and help save more lives. Quarterly updates through the Gift of 8 scoreboard are provided to 
show how many new donor registrations have been recorded across Ontario and within each 
community. The scoreboard also shows, in real time, how many visits to the online registration 
site have been driven through www.beadonor.ca. 

To join the Gift of 8 Movement, you are encouraged to visit www.beadonor.ca and 
click ÒJoin the MovementÓ to set up a page, for yourself or your organization. 
The easy-to-follow instructions will walk you through the process. 

As part of our high schools outreach, TGLN has created a dedicated high schools page 
(beadonor.ca/highschools) and students are encouraged to use this Gift of 8 page to register 
and encourage your their, friends and families to do the same. The scoreboard tracks visits 
to the registry by high school students in Ontario. 

For more information about the high schools outreach initiative or 
creating your Gift of 8 page, contact Meredith Sjogren at TGLN at 

416-619-2299 or msjogren@giftoflife.on.ca 


3 Introduction: A Future is Yours to Give 
8 Goals of One LifeÉMany Gifts 
10 Student Questionnaire and Answers 
16 Transplantation: Where WeÕve Been, 
Where WeÕre Going 
24 Breakthroughs and Accomplishments 
in Transplantation 
30 Coordinating Organ and Tissue Donation 
32 To Remember MeÉ 
34 Over To YouÉ 
a) Research Radio Assignment 
b) View DVD/Prepare Questions 
c) Read, Discuss and Write a Newspaper Report 
d) Oral Presentation 
e) Create a Persuasive Public Service Announcement 
f) Develop a Survey 
g) Write a Poem, Reflection or Scene 
h) Research and Read Aloud

Ilustration .i2iart.


3 
A future is yours to give. 
There is a crisis in Ontario,

4 
At this very moment, 
The sad reality is that many die before 
a matching organ becomes available. 

5 
The organ donation rate in Ontario is only 
less than half of what it should be. That means that 
people who could live Ð if they had a new heart, lung, 
liver, kidney, pancreas or small bowel Ð sit on a waiting 
list, hoping for a donor. That wait is often in vain.

7 
Every day, Ontario families experiencing heartbreaking tragedy are 
asked about donating the organs and tissues of their loved ones who 
have just died. There is no greater loss than the death of a husband, 
a mother, a child or other close relative. It takes great courage to reach 
out and help someone else when you are in deep distress yourself. 
The valour and grace that are unspoken attributes of donor families 
are worthy of our deepest admiration. However, sometimes families 
choose not to donate. It may be because they donÕt understand the 
process, because they had never discussed donation, or because they 
did not know the wishes of their loved one. 
The development of this curriculum resource Ð One LifeÉMany Gifts 
Ð has been co-sponsored by the Trillium Gift of Life Network, the Multi- 
Organ Transplant Program at London Health Sciences Centre, The 
Kidney Foundation of Canada and the provincial Ministry of Education 
and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. 
One LifeÉMany Gifts dispels the myths that may prevent someone 
from considering donation, increases knowledge and understanding 
about donation and the success of transplantation and encourages 
family members to discuss this important topic and communicate their 
wishes to one another. Students are educated; so are their parents, 
siblings and friends. The experiences of living donors, donor families 
and transplant recipients highlighted in this curriculum resource will 
deepen understanding of the importance of organ and tissue donation 
and will assist students in making informed decisions at a crucial time 
in their lives, when they are reaching the legal age of consent and are 
making decisions about their personal wishes. 
Teams of health-care professionals are ready to respond and to save 
more lives through transplanting more organs and tissue. Thanks to 
our universal health-care system, no appropriate patient is turned 
down for lack of money. We all need to know that within us, there is 
a future that is ours to give. Minutes of our time can result in 30, 40 or 
even 50 additional years of living for a transplant recipient. Discussions 
with our families about donation wishes should be happening in every 
home in Ontario. By bringing to life the drama, generosity and the lifesaving 
promise of donation and transplantation, One LifeÉMany Gifts 
can help you make a real difference in society.

goals of 

one lifeÉ 
many gifts 
This collection of booklets is a cross-curricular 
resource for senior high-school students. The 
curriculum is designed to be used in seven subject 
areas Ð the Arts, English, Health and Physical 
Education, Science, Guidance and Career Education, 
Social Sciences and Humanities, and Canadian and 
World Studies. Teachers and students can use 
various parts of the curriculum depending on the 
studentsÕ interest and the course content. 
8

9 
The One LifeÉMany Gifts curriculum 
aims to achieve the following goals: 
Heighten awareness, knowledge and empathic understanding 
of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. 
Provide information about organ and tissue donation so that students 
understand the impact they can have, registering to donate and 
talking with their families about their donation wishes. 
Inform students of how to become a potential donor and 
how to make their donation wishes known. 
Present accurate information to correct misunderstandings 
and myths about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. 
List and describe the organs and tissues that can be transplanted, and 
increase the understanding of lifestyle choices that support healthy 
organs and minimize the need for future organ and tissue transplants. 
Encourage students to make decisions when there are competing 
interests, by weighing medical, legal, ethical, and societal factors. 
Help students learn about career options in related fields. 
Develop communication and leadership skills and 
increase understanding of studentsÕ roles as citizens 
in a democratic society. 
Increase critical and emotional literacy competencies, and enhance 
the capacity to work independently and collaboratively in small and 
large groups, both in the school and in the community. 
Generate the desire and increase the capacity among students 
to respond as empathic, emotionally and intellectually literate, 
adaptable and productive members of various communities 
Ð familial, civic and national.

10 
This questionnaire can be used at the beginning of the unit of study 
to identify areas where the students may have misconceptions 
about organ and tissue donation and transplantation and to provide 
information that may be new to them. After filling in the questionnaire 
individually, students can discuss the questions and answers in small 
groups. Then they can report back to the whole class about what each 
group learned through the discussion. 
The students can take their questionnaire home and have their 
parents, siblings and friends fill it in and discuss the answers. In the 
Resource Guide, you will find an abbreviated questionnaire which 
might be useful for families who have limited free time. 
Teachers may wish to have the students complete the questionnaire 
again at the end of the unit of study to consolidate learnings and 
assess increased understanding about organ and tissue donation 
and transplantation. 
STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE 

11 
1. Approximately how many Canadians are on waiting lists for organ transplants? 
.. .. 500 .. 1,000 .. 4,000 .. over 10,000 
2. Of all Canadians who die in hospital each year, what percentage are 
potential organ donors? 
.. .. 1-2% .. 15-20% .. 30-40% .. more than 50% 
3. To be an organ donor, a person must be: 
.. .. older than 16 .. younger than 65 .. 16 to 65 years .. no age limit 
4. What percentage of the adults in Ontario registered to be a donor? 
.. .. less than 10% .. about 20% .. about 50% .. more than 80% 
5. Organs that can be successfully transplanted includeÉ (check all that apply): 
.. .. the heart .. the kidneys .. the brain .. the liver .. the lungs 
6. Organ transplants first became routinely successful during: 
.. .. World War I .. World War II .. the 1980s .. the last 5 years 
7. Which organ was the first to be successfully transplanted? 
.. .. heart .. kidney .. liver .. lung .. pancreas 
8. A person on a transplant waiting list has a greater likelihood of 
receiving a transplant if that personÉ (check all that apply): 
.. .. has a university education 
.. .. is employed 
.. .. has worked in the health-care field 
.. .. is sicker than most of the others waiting 
.. .. is female 
9. To get on a transplant waiting list, an individual must: 
.. .. have financial means to pay for the transplant 
.. .. live close to a transplant centre 
.. .. demonstrate an ability to comply with medical advice 
.. .. have never smoked cigarettes or drunk alcohol 
10.Do you agree with this statement? People should not be eligible for a transplant 
if they have not already signed a donor card or registered with OHIP indicating their 
willingness to help others if they could. 
.. .. yes .. no 
11. If someone dies at the scene of a car accident, can he or she donate his or 
her organs for transplant? 
.. .. yes .. no 
12. If a person donates organs after death, the family incurs additional burial expenses. 
.. .. true .. false 
13. To register consent to be an organ donor the person who signs must be over 
the age of 16 years. 
.. true .. false 

12 
14. A person who registers at an OHIP office can direct that his 
or her organs only go to someone he or she specified. 
.. .. true .. false 
15. Is it legal in Canada for a patient on dialysis who needs a transplant to purchase a kidney 
over the Internet? 
.. .. yes .. no 
16. Do many religions oppose organ and tissue donation? 
.. .. yes .. no 
17. Can a person in a coma ever Òwake upÓ? 
.. .. yes .. no .. donÕt know 
18. Can a person who is brain dead ever Òwake upÓ? 
.. .. yes .. no .. donÕt know 
19. Is a person in a coma considered brain dead? 
.. .. yes .. no .. donÕt know 
20. A living donor can donate a kidney to a person on dialysis only if the recipientÉ 
(check all that apply): 
.. .. is a blood relative 
.. .. weighs more than the donor 
.. .. can pay the donor for lost time from work 
.. .. has been on dialysis for more than 4 years 
.. .. none of the above 
21. A living donor in Ontario who donates a kidney or part of his or her liver can receive some 
reimbursement from the provincial government for personal costs incurred as a result of 
the donation (e.g., expenses for travel to the transplant centre). 
.. .. true .. false 
22. Have you registered at an OHIP office? 
.. yes .. no .. donÕt have one 
23. Would you register at an OHIP office? 
.. yes .. no 
STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE 

13 
24. If you answered YES to either of the above, indicate how important the following 
factors were in your decision: 
Low importance High importance 
Desire to benefit society 1 2 3 4 5 
Chance to save an individualÕs life 1 2 3 4 5 
Past positive experience with the medical profession 1 2 3 4 5 
Personal experience with donation or transplantation 1 2 3 4 5 
(family member or close friend) 
Media exposure to donation or transplantation 1 2 3 4 5 
My religion supports organ donation 1 2 3 4 5 
My family supports organ donation 1 2 3 4 5 
Other (please explain): 
25. If you answered NO to either of the above, indicate how important the following 
factors were in your decision: 
Low importance High importance 
Financial costs to society (health-care system) 1 2 3 4 5 
Not a fair system in place to allocate the organs 1 2 3 4 5 
Past negative experience with the medical profession 1 2 3 4 5 
Some people on the waiting list are undeserving 1 2 3 4 5 
My religion doesnÕt support donation 1 2 3 4 5 
My family doesnÕt support donation 1 2 3 4 5 
Personal experience with donation or transplantation 1 2 3 4 5 
(family member or close friend) 
Doctors will not do everything to save my life 1 2 3 4 5 
My body will be mutilated 1 2 3 4 5 
My family will experience unnecessary trauma 1 2 3 4 5 
My funeral will be delayed 1 2 3 4 5 
Other (please explain): 
26. Have you discussed organ donation with your family? 
.. yes .. no 
27. If you have discussed donation with your family, does your family support 
your wishes concerning donation? 
.. yes .. no 
28. When you die, who makes the final decision whether your organs will or will not be donated? 
.. .. you yourself, having registered through OHIP 
.. next of kin (usually your parents)

14 
1. Approximately how many Canadians are on waiting 
lists for organ transplants? 
.. .. 500 .. 1,000 .. 4,000 .. over 10,000 
Currently, more than 4,000 Canadians are waiting for an organ 
transplant. Thousands more are waiting for a tissue transplant. 
The success of transplantation has resulted in many more patients 
being referred to transplant programs. 
2. Of all Canadians who die in hospital each year, what percentage 
are potential organ donors? 
.. .. 1-2% .. 15-20% .. 30-40% .. more than 50% 
Only people who die in a hospital and on a ventilator can become 
organ donors. This is necessary so that the organs are in the best 
possible condition and the transplant is more likely to succeed. If 
someone dies at home or in the community, tissues (for example, 
eyes) can be donated, but not organs. 
3. To be an organ donor, a person must be: 
.. .. older than 16 .. younger than 65 .. 16 to 65 years 
.. no age limit 
There are no strict age limits. The youngest donor was a newborn and 
the oldest organ donor was 92 years old and the oldest tissue donor 
was 102. As age increases, some organs or tissue may not be suitable 
for transplant because the process of aging may be associated with 
disease. Ultimately, the ability to be an organ and tissue donor 
depends on several factors, including the health of the person at 
the time of death. 
4. What percentage of the adults in Ontario registered to be a donor? 
.. .. less than 10% .. about 20% .. about 50% 
.. more than 80% 
Fewer than 1/4 Ontarians have registered 
5. Organs that can be successfully transplanted includeÉ 
(check all that apply): 
.. .. the heart .. the kidneys .. the brain .. the liver 
.. the lungs 
All these organs, except the brain, are routinely transplanted. The 
small bowel and pancreas can also be donated for transplant. 
6. Organ transplants first became routinely successful during: 
.. .. World War I .. World War II .. the 1980s 
.. the last 5 years 
With the discovery of a new anti-rejection drug, cyclosporine, in the 
late 1970s, transplant success rates soared in the 1980s when the drug 
became widely used. 
7. Which organ was the first to be successfully transplanted? 
.. .. heart .. kidney .. liver .. lung .. pancreas 
The kidney was the first successfully transplanted organ in 1954, when 
a young man donated one of his kidneys to his identical twin brother. 
No anti-rejection drugs were needed because of the genetic identity 
between the twins. 
8. A person on a transplant waiting list has a greater likelihood 
of receiving a transplant if that personÉ (check all that apply): 
.. .. has a university education 
.. .. is employed 
.. .. has worked in the health-care field 
.. .. is sicker than most of the others waiting 
.. .. is female 
Various factors are considered when selecting the most suitable 
recipient from a long list for a donated organ. They include donorrecipient 
matching, length of time waiting and severity of illness. 
Factors such as gender, employment and education are not used as 
criteria for recipient selection. 
9. To get on a transplant waiting list, an individual must: 
.. .. have financial means to pay for the transplant 
.. .. live close to a transplant centre 
.. .. demonstrate an ability to comply with medical advice 
.. .. have never smoked cigarettes or drunk alcohol 
Because transplant organs are a Òlimited resourceÓ transplant 
specialists want to ensure that each patient is motivated to lead a 
healthy lifestyle after transplant, without jeopardizing the 
transplant. Patients need to demonstrate that they can follow 
medical advice, such as having regular checkups, taking medication 
and generally leading an active, healthy life. 
10. Do you agree with this statement? People should not be eligible 
for a transplant if they have not already registered with OHIP 
indicating their willingness to help others if they could. 
.. .. yes .. no 
Although some people might feel this viewpoint is appropriate, no 
requirement exists that would make a person ineligible for a 
transplant unless he or she had previously registered their intentions 
through OHIP. 
11. If someone dies at the scene of a car accident, can he or she 
donate his or her organs for transplant? 
.. .. yes .. no 
If someone dies at home or in the community, he or she may be 
able to donate his or her tissues, but not organs. In order for organs 
to be viable for transplant, they must be continually perfused 
with blood and oxygen up to the time they are removed from the 
donor. A donor must die while in a hospital and on a ventilator. 
The ventilator artificially maintains vital organs after a patient 
has died. 
12. If a person donates organs after death, the family incurs 
additional burial expenses. 
.. .. true .. false 
Families should not incur any costs associated with the donation 
process. Donation does not interfere with funeral practices, and an 
open casket is possible if the family wishes. 
STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE ANSWERS

15 
13. To register consent to be an organ donor the person who 
registers must be over the age of 16 years. 
.. .. true .. false 
According to provincial legislation, a person who has reached the 
age of 16 years (the age of consent) can legally register. It is 
important, however, that people discuss their decision with their 
family so the next of kin can act on their wishes at the time of death. 
14. A person who registers at an OHIP office can direct that his or 
her organs only go to someone he or she specified. 
.. .. true .. false 
Donated organs and tissues are given to the most appropriate 
patient, based on need, blood type, matching and other criteria. 
ÒDirected donationÓ is not practised in Canada. Only a living donor 
can designate who the recipient will be. For example, a person may 
decide to donate a kidney to a family member or a friend if medical 
tests show that the match is compatible. 
15. Is it legal in Canada for a patient on dialysis who needs a 
transplant to purchase a kidney over the Internet? 
.. .. yes .. no 
No. Legislation prohibits the buying and selling of any organs 
for transplant or research purposes. 
16. Do many religions oppose organ and tissue donation? 
.. .. yes .. no 
Culture and religion play a significant role in end-of-life 
experiences, including how people respond to illness, how grief is 
demonstrated, what rituals are important at death and which 
members of the family are present. Most major religions support 
organ and tissue donation as an honoured and compassionate 
expression of generosity and love. If you think your religion objects 
to donation, consult with your faith leader. 
17. Can a person in a coma ever Òwake upÓ? 
.. .. yes .. no .. donÕt know 
Yes. Coma is a state of deep unconsciousness where the person does 
not respond to powerful stimuli. Depending on the cause of the 
coma, the patient may regain consciousness. For example, a drug 
overdose may put a person into a coma, but if the person is treated 
until the drug wears off, complete recovery can occur. 
18. Can a person who is brain dead ever Òwake upÓ? 
.. .. yes .. no .. donÕt know 
No. A person who is brain dead has no blood flowing through 
the brain. Brain function has been destroyed and there is no 
chance of regaining consciousness. 
19. Is a person in a coma considered brain dead? 
.. .. yes .. no .. donÕt know 
No. Coma and brain death (also known as neurological death) 
are completely separate and different diagnoses. A patient in 
a coma or in a persistent vegetative state continues to have some 
brain activity and would not be misdiagnosed or treated as 
neurologically dead. 
20. A living donor can donate a kidney to a person on dialysis only 
if the recipientÉ (check all that apply): 
.. .. is a blood relative 
.. .. weighs more than the donor 
.. .. can pay the donor for lost time from work 
.. .. has been on dialysis for more than 4 years 
.. .. none of the above 
A living donor has medical testing done to ensure that the donated 
kidney will ÒmatchÓ the recipient (blood and tissue match). The 
recipient need not be genetically related for a satisfactory match. 
Altruism is the basis for the donation and no money is exchanged. 
21. A living donor in Ontario who donates a kidney or part of 
his or her liver can receive some reimbursement from the 
provincial government for personal costs incurred as a 
result of the donation (e.g., expenses for travel to the 
transplant centre). 
.. .. true .. false 
The Ontario government offers some reimbursement to living 
donors to help offset some of the financial costs of donating, such 
as time away from work, travel and temporary accommodation 
near the transplant centre. 
23. Would you register at an OHIP office? 
.. yes .. no 
Registration forms are available to download at www.giftoflife.on.ca 
If you decide to register and tell your family of your wishes, you may 
be able to save the lives of several people when you die. 
26. Have you discussed organ donation with your family? 
.. yes .. no 
Surveys show that only approximately 60% of individuals have 
discussed the subject with their next of kin, even if they have registered. 
If you have decided and documented your decision to 
become a donor, the most important next step is talking to your 
family about your wishes. 
27. If you have discussed donation with your family, does your 
family support your wishes concerning donation? 
.. yes .. no 
Even if there is registration through OHIP, health-care providers 
still seek consent from the next of kin before organs or tissues are 
removed for transplant. 
28. When you die, who makes the final decision whether your 
organs will or will not be donated? 
.. .. you yourself, having registered through OHIP 
.. .. next of kin (usually your parents) 
Even if you have registered as a donor, it is important that your 
family know about your decision. Hospital staff will talk with the 
next of kin of potential donors about their feelings regarding 
donation and what their loved one would have wanted. Out of 
respect for grieving families, they are asked to provide the final 
consent, even if their loved one registered through OHIP.

Transplantation: 
WHERE WE'VE 
BEEN, 
WHERE WE'RE 
GOING 

Doctor 
Bill Wall 
16
Photo by K. Stuart. London Health Sciences Centre. 


Dr. Bill Wall has been a transplant 
surgeon for more than 30 years. 
Dr. WallÕs answers to the following 
important questions will help you 
understand what has been achieved 
in the field of transplantation and 
what is hoped for in order to save 
even more lives. 

When were the first transplants done? 

Concerted efforts at organ transplantation began in the 1950s. At that time, patients 
were dying from kidney failure, and newly developed dialysis machines were not 
very efficient nor were they widely available. Kidney failure for many patients was 
a death sentence. Surgeons knew the solution Ð transplant a healthy kidney from 
someone into the sick patient. The concept was simple, but the bodyÕs immune 
system quickly recognized the transplanted organs as foreign and rejected them. 
Exactly how the immune system was triggered by the transplanted organ was 
poorly understood, and how to prevent the rejection was even less understood. 

In 1954, doctors at Peter Brigham Hospital in Boston were presented with a unique 
situation. Identical twin brothers, one in kidney failure, sought treatment. The 
surgeons theorized that because the twins had identical immune systems, no 
rejection would occur if a kidney from the healthy twin was transplanted into his 
brother. They were right Ð the transplant was a success. The brothers became 
famous, and the surgeon who led the team, Dr. Joseph Murray, would later receive 
the Nobel Prize for his contributions to transplantation. This single experience 
encouraged the pioneers to persist with their efforts to overcome the problem of 
rejection when transplants were performed between non-related individuals. 

During the next 20 years, little progress was made, however. Very few kidney 
transplants worked. There were attempts to transplant the liver and the heart in 
the 1960s and 1970s, but they almost all failed. Transplantation seemed an 
unachievable goal. The limited drugs that were available to prevent rejection were 
only moderately effective, and they had many negative side effects, including 
death from infection. Successes were so rare that many centres that had 
attempted transplants discontinued their efforts. 


What changed to make 
transplants successful? 

The early researchers and doctors kept trying. They 
studied rejection in the laboratory, and at the same time, 
refined the surgical techniques that were important to 
perfecting the operations. But, everything changed 
dramatically in the late 1970s when a new drug Ð 
cyclosporine Ð was discovered. It worked differently 
on the immune system from other drugs and it proved 
extremely effective in controlling rejection. Cyclosporine 
was a quantum leap for transplantation. The results of 
kidney transplants dramatically improved and transplants 
of other organs that had been abandoned because of poor 
results became routinely successful. A proliferation of 
transplant centres and an explosion of transplant activity 
occurred worldwide. Patients facing death from organ 
failure were restored to good health and productive lives. 
The discovery ushered in a new era in transplantation. 
Additional drugs were discovered in the 1980s and 1990s 
that further improved success rates, which reached 80 
to 90 percent for most transplants. Today, transplant 
specialists have the luxury of using various drugs in 
different combinations, thereby maximizing their 
effectiveness and minimizing side effects. Transplantation 
is now expanding into areas that were only dreamed 
of years ago. It is now possible to transplant a hand or 
an arm for someone who has lost an extremity from a 
traumatic accident. Partial face transplants have also 
been performed for patients with large facial defects from 
trauma or burns. These operations are called composite 
transplants because they include several different tissues 

Ð skin, fat, muscle, tendon, nerves and bone. 
What is the biggest problem facing 
transplantation today? 
Transplantation is without question one of the greatest 
achievements of modern medicine. The benefits to 
patients have been enormous. Patients facing certain 
death have their lives saved and transformed. However, 
the tragic irony today is that there has never been a 
worse time to be on a transplant waiting list. More 
people are waiting than ever before, they are waiting for a 
longer time, and their chances of dying while waiting have 

never been so high. Their needs are not being met because 
of the lack of donated organs. Each year, more patients 
are referred for transplantation, yet the number of donors 
has not increased. More than 4,000 Canadians are waiting 
for an organ transplant, and thousands more need a tissue 
transplant. It is a shame that each year between 200 
and 300 Canadians die because there are not enough 
donated organs. 

Regrettably, transplant specialists have to restrict the 
number of patients who are accepted on waiting lists. Even 
if someone makes it onto the list, there is no guarantee 
that an organ will arrive in time. Patients on kidney dialysis 
machines wait for several years to get a kidney transplant, 
if they get one at all. Patients waiting for a new heart or 
liver have a one in four or one in five chance of dying while 
waiting because no organ is available. Some potential 
recipients are taken off the list because they become too 
ill to undergo the surgery. 

What are some solutions 
to the organ shortage? 

Innovative surgical techniques have helped address the 
organ shortage and deaths on the waiting list. Small 
children require small organs, and paediatric donors are 
rare. Surgeons have developed a split-liver technique, 
whereby a small piece of an adult liver can be used for a 
small child. The remainder of the liver, the largest part, 
can be used in a suitably sized adult. Unfortunately, that is 
not possible for a three-year-old child who needs a heart 
transplant. A donor of similar age and body size is needed. 

Increasingly, living donors have become a source of organs 
in an attempt to address the need. Almost everyone has 
two healthy kidneys, and one can be donated because 
only one kidney is necessary to sustain the life of a person. 
Similar to living kidney donation, a person can donate a 
portion of his or her liver for transplant into a recipient. 
Most often, it is a parent-to-child transplant, but the same 
technique can be used between two size-matched adults. 
The living donorÕs remaining liver segment will regenerate 
into a whole organ, and the donated liver segment will 
grow along with the recipient. 


19 
Number of Donors & Patients Waiting for Transplants in Canada 
0 
1000 
2000 
3000 
4000 
5000 
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Donors 
Waiting 
HOWEVER, THE TRAGIC IRONY 
TODAY IS THAT THERE HAS NEVER 
BEEN A WORSE TIME TO BE ON A 
TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST.

Spain 
Austria 
Belgium 
USA 
Portugal 
France 


Italy 
Canada 
UK 
Australia 


TODAY, THE REALITY IS THAT 
PATIENTS ARE DYING ON WAITING 
LISTS BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT 
ENOUGH DONATED ORGANS. 

Number of organ donors per million population 

0 
5 
101520253035 



What research can help solve the shortage? 
Much research is currently aimed at finding a solution to the critical need for 
organs Ð specifically, stem cells, organs from animals (xenotransplantation) 
and artificial organs. There has been a great deal of work on identifying and growing 
stem cells. Under the right conditions, they can develop into various cell types, for 
example, muscle cells, liver cells and pancreas insulin-producing cells. Imagine that 
stem cells could be injected into the muscle of a failing heart, restore muscle function 
and strengthen the heart to the point that heart transplantation would not be 
required at all. Similarly, the development of insulin-producing cells from stem cells 
could be used to treat diabetes. The concept is extremely exciting, but how the stem 
cells are controlled and regulated once in the body is not yet known. 

Researchers are looking at using animal organs and tissue as one way to help 
solve the organ shortage. Researchers are focusing on the use of pig organs. The 
major challenge is overcoming the immunological barrier when transplants are 
performed between widely divergent species, such as pig to human. It may be 
solved by altering specific genes in pigs so that their organs are less likely to 
be rejected by humans. Some success has been demonstrated in laboratory 
experiments, but clinical application is not yet possible. Imagine if it was 
possible, however, to give diabetic patients pancreas or islet cell transplants 
from pigs. It would be the cure for diabetes. 

Because there are not enough donated organs, researchers are trying to develop 
artificial organs, building on the concept of dialysis machines that support patients 
with kidney failure. For patients with damaged hearts, a mechanical ventricular 
assist device (VAD) may be inserted to take over the pumping action of the failing 
heart. The VAD can act as a bridge to transplantation, supporting the diseased 
heart until a donated organ becomes available. Ideally, a totally implantable and 
permanent artificial heart will be an alternative to transplantation, but it has not 
been perfected in spite of intense research efforts. All of these technologies and 
advances are hopes for the future. Today, the reality is that patients are dying on 
waiting lists because there are not enough donated organs. 

How does Canada compare to other countries? 

Although we are proud of our health-care system, our organ donation rate lags well 
behind other countries. A measure of the health of a nation and the compassion of its 
citizens is the number of transplants that are performed and the number of organs 
that are donated. Many European countries and the United States report donation 
rates ranging from 23 Ð 30 donors per million, about twice as many as Canada. 
The graph left reflects these widely discrepant organ donation rates and CanadaÕs 
mediocre standing compared to other countries. Some countries have presumed 
consent, which assumes that a person wants to donate organs after death unless 
that person had specifically indicated that he or she did not wish to donate. This has 
been considered in Canada, but public surveys have indicated the reluctance of our 
society to accept this kind of legislation. 


Each donor can potentially 
give eight organs to help 
others, including the heart, 
both kidneys, liver, two lungs, 
pancreas and small bowel. 


23 
Transplantation is the only branch of medicine and surgery that depends 
entirely on a compassionate and altruistic society, one in which Canadians are 
prepared to donate organs and tissues to help their fellow citizens. We would 
find it unthinkable that Canadians suffering from arthritis were denied joint 
replacement because there were not enough metal joints to meet the need. 
That would be unacceptable. Yet, that is the sad reality faced by patients 
with organ failure. 
What can one person do? 
Each person who wants to save or improve lives through organ and tissue 
donation can benefit many other individuals. Each donor can potentially give 
eight organs to help others, including the heart, both kidneys, liver, two lungs, 
pancreas and small bowel. Several kinds of tissue can also be donated for 
transplant Ð bone, cornea, heart valves, islet cells and skin. 
The decision to donate organs and tissues after death is a very personal one. 
Organ donation has been neglected in our society, and people are dying. 
Education is vital so that young Canadians learn about the benefits of 
transplantation, the importance of making their own decision, and then 
the importance of discussing their decision with their families. 
Lives will be saved as a result.

24 
BREAKTHROUGHS 
& 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS 
IN 
TRANSPLANTATION

25 
1954 
First successful kidney transplant 
in the world performed between 
identical twins (Boston, USA). 
1955 
WorldÕs first heart valve transplant. 
The main aortic valve was removed 
from a 20-year-old accident victim 
and transplanted into a young man 
dying from heart failure (Toronto 
General Hospital,Toronto). 
1958 
First successful kidney transplant from 
a living donor in Canada (Montreal, 
Quebec).¦ Discovery of HLA genetic 
marker for tissue matching of donors 
and recipients. 
1963 
First liver transplant in the world 
(Denver, USA). ¦ First kidney 
transplants using deceased 
donors in Canada (Montreal, 
Quebec; London, Ontario; and 
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). 
1967 
First heart transplant in 
the world (Cape Town, 
South Africa). 

26 
1979 
Cyclosporine first used in transplant 
patients in Canada (University 
Hospital, London Health Sciences 
Centre, London). 
1968 
First heart transplant in Canada 
(Montreal). 
1970 
First liver transplant in Canada 
(Montreal). 
1977 
Cyclosporine is used for 
the first time in patients 
(Cambridge, England). 
1983 
WorldÕs first successful 
single lung transplant 
(Toronto General Hospital, 
Toronto). ¦ CanadaÕs first 
heart-lung transplant 
(University Hospital, 
London Health Sciences 
Centre, London).

27 
1986 
WorldÕs first double lung 
transplant (Toronto General 
Hospital, Toronto). ¦ CanadaÕs 
first use of the Jarvik 7 
mechanical heart as a bridge 
to transplant Ð this is only 
the 11th time it has been used 
in the world (Ottawa Heart 
Institute, Ottawa). 
1988 
WorldÕs first successful combined 
liver and bowel transplant 
(University Hospital, London 
Health Sciences Centre, London). 
1989 
CanadaÕs first Artificial Heart 
Program is launched to 
develop a new implantable 
heart assist pump (Ottawa 
Heart Institute, Ottawa). 
¦ A heart transplant is 
performed on an 11-dayold 
infant, the youngest 
recipient in Canada (Ottawa 
Heart Institute, Ottawa). 
1993 
CanadaÕs first liver transplant 
using a living donor (motherto-
child) in Canada (ChildrenÕs 
Hospital, London Health 
Sciences Centre, London).
1995 
Pig liver tissue is used as a 
ÒbridgeÓ to transplant until 
a human liver is donated 
(Montreal, Quebec).

28 
1996 
An infant heart transplant, using a 
blood group incompatible organ. The 
transplant was successful because 
the infantÕs immature immune 
system did not reject the organ 
(Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto). 
1997 
WorldÕs youngest multi-organ 
recipient: Read Sarah MarshallÕs 
story in her booklet (ChildrenÕs 
Hospital, London Health 
Sciences Centre, London). 
1999 
CanadaÕs first double lung 
transplant using living donors 
(two people each donated part 
of a lung to the recipient) 
(Winnipeg). 
2000 
CanadaÕs first living donor liver 
transplant between adults 
(University Hospital, London 
Health Sciences Centre, London). 
¦ The islet transplantation team 
at University of Alberta Hospital 
makes international news with 
the release of Òthe Edmonton 
Protocol,Ó for treatment of type I 
diabetes (Edmonton). 
2004 
For the first time in Canada, a man 
receives a kidney from someone 
who found out about his need via 
the Internet (Toronto General 
Hospital, Toronto).

29 
2005 
A 38-year-old woman receives 
a partial face transplant, 
including nose, lips and chin 
(Amiens, France). ¦ First 
Òpaired exchangeÓ takes place 
in Canada. Two living donors 
and their recipients who do not 
match trade donors so that 
each recipient gets a compatible 
kidney transplant (St. MichaelÕs 
Hospital and Toronto General 
Hospital, Toronto). 
2006 
The Therien family donates 
their daughterÕs organs 
following declaration of 
cardiac death: Read the 
Theriens' story in the Donor 
Family Stories booklet 
(Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa). 
2007 
North American first: a 
Novalung, an external 
artificial lung, is used to keep 
a patient alive until a set of 
donor lungs became available 
for transplantation (Toronto 
General Hospital, Toronto). 
Hamilton: 
St. JosephÕs Healthcare 
www.stjosham.on.ca 
Kingston: 
Kingston General Hospital 
www.kgh.on.ca 
London: 
London Health Sciences Centre 
www.lhsc.on.ca 
ChildrenÕs Hospital, LHSC 
www.lhsc.on.ca/About_Us/ 
Childrens_Hospital 
Ottawa: 
The Ottawa Hospital 
www.ottawahospital.on.ca 
University of Ottawa Heart Institute 
www.ottawaheart.ca/UOHI 
Toronto: 
Hospital for Sick Children 
www.sickkids.ca 
St. MichaelÕs Hospital 
www.stmichaelshospital.com 
University Health Network 
www.uhn.ca/index.htm 
For further information about OntarioÕs transplant programs, 
you can visit their websites:

coordinating 
organ 
and tissue 


donation 


The One LifeÉMany Gifts curriculum examines the lives of organ and 
tissue recipients and the world of donor families. In order for a person 
to receive an organ or tissue, there must be a family who has decided 
to provide the gift of new life by donating their loved oneÕs organs 
and/or tissue in the middle of their own grief. 

30 



31 
It is important to know the backstory 
of organ and tissue donation and 
allocation. Where do the organs come 
from? Where do they go, and why? Who 
receives an organ? What are the criteria? 
The Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN), a not-for-profit 
provincial government agency, is dedicated to planning, 
promoting, coordinating and supporting organ and tissue 
donation across Ontario. In 2002, the Ontario government 
introduced legislation, the Trillium Gift of Life Network 
Act, with a mandate to increase significantly organ and 
tissue donation in Ontario. TGLN is also responsible for 
establishing and managing waiting lists for organs and 
tissue, in addition to ensuring a system of fair allocation. 
TGLN operates a call centre 24 hours a day, seven days 
a week. Ontario hospitals contact TGLN when a patient 
dies. When a phone call is received, TGLN helps determine 
whether a potential donor is suitable for organ and/or 
tissue donation. 
If a deceased person is potentially suitable for organ 
donation, TGLN contacts one of the 20 hospital-based 
Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators across the province. 
The coordinator supports the family, screens the potential 
donor, assists staff within the hospital and lets the family 
know their options. The coordinator will obtain consent 
if the family wishes to proceed with organ donation. If a 
patient is a potential donor for tissue, and if consent is 
obtained, recovery teams are organized to obtain tissue 
and deliver it to tissue banks. 
Time is of the essence. First, two physicians at the 
hospital need to declare a patient brain dead. Then the 
coordinator starts the consent process. The coordinator, in 
collaboration with the intensive care team, approaches the 
family with the option of donation. If consent is obtained, 
testing is required for infectious diseases. The heart is 
checked. Chest x-rays are taken. Organ-specific tests are 
conducted. All that information is sent back immediately 
to TGLN, and is entered into a database by staff who are 
on call, around the clock. 
When organs are removed from a donor, there is a limited 
period of time in which they can be preserved outside of 
the body before they are transplanted. If too much time 
passes, the organs are no longer usable. Different organs 
last different amounts of time Ð for example, a heart needs 
to be transplanted within four to six hours, while kidneys 
can last for as long as 24 hours. This means that a lot of 
cooperation and coordination needs to take place to get 
the transported organs to the various hospitals where the 
recipients wait for their transplant surgeries. There is not, 
however, the same time pressure for tissue. Tissues, such 
as bones, corneas and skin, can be recovered for as long 
as 24 hours after a donor has died as they donÕt require 
oxygenated blood to be usable. 
In the database, all the potential organ recipients are 
listed. Checks for matches are conducted to determine 
who on the waiting list is most suitable, based on blood 
type, size of organ, etc. Organs are generally allocated 
to the sickest patient who is a compatible match and has 
been waiting the longest. There may also be regional 
considerations. If a donor is in one area of the province, 
sometimes it makes sense to keep the organ there 
because time is so important. 
Staff at the TGLN Provincial Resource Centre then call 
various transplant programs and discuss the suitability 
of the available organs with physicians in the transplant 
hospitals. As soon as a program accepts an organ, the 
Provincial Resource Centre starts to coordinate the 
recovery process. A recovery team is sent to the hospital 
in which the donor is located. Once the team is in place, 
the donor is brought to the operating room and organs 
are recovered. Concurrently, recipients are prepared for 
transplant surgery so that the least amount of time passes 
between retrieval of an organ and transplantation into 
a waiting patient. 
The provincial waiting list is updated constantly. Currently, 
waiting list times vary depending on the type of organ 
needed. In some cases, such as kidneys, the wait can be 
as long as eight years. It is not unusual for a person who 
is waiting for a corneal transplant to remain on the list for 
three years. Many people die while they are waiting for an 
organ. That is why organ donation is so important. 

32 
!
........ 
.............................. 
November 1976 
"

33 
The day will come when my body will 
lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked 
under four corners of a mattress 
located in a hospital busily occupied 
with the living and the dying. 
At a certain moment, a doctor will 
determine that my brain has ceased 
to function and that, for all intents 
and purposes, my life has stopped. 
When that happens, do not attempt 
...... ................ .................... .......... .......... ...... .......... 
by the use of a machine. 
And donÕt call this my death bed. 
Let it be called the Bed of Life, and 
let my body be taken from it to help 
others lead fuller lives. 
Give my sight to the man who has 
never seen a sunrise, a babyÕs face or 
love in the eyes of a woman. 
Give my heart to a person whose own 
heart has caused nothing but endless 
days of pain. 
Give my blood to the teenager who 
was pulled from the wreckage of his 
car so that he might live to see his 
grandchildren play. 
Give my kidneys to one who depends 
on a machine to exist from week 
to week. 
Take my bones, every muscle, every 
.................................................................... 
a way to make a crippled child walk. 
Explore every corner of my brain. 
Take my cells, if necessary, and 
let them grow so that someday a 
speechless boy will shout at the crack 
of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the 
sound of rain against her window. 
Burn what is left of me and scatter 
the ashes to the winds to help the 
.......................... 
If you must bury something, let it 
be my faults, my weakness and all 
prejudice against my fellow manÉ 
If, by chance, you wish to remember 
me, do it with a kind deed or word to 
someone who loves you. 
If you do all I have asked, I will 
live forever. 
To Remember MeÉ 
...................................................................... 
By Robert N. Test

OVER TO YOUÉ 
After reading this 
introductory section 
and watching the DVD, 
you should have a good 
understanding of how the 
donation process works, 
some of the impressive 
innovations in the field 
and how successful 
transplantation is today. 
!The Arts Canadian & World Studies vEnglish Guidance & Career Education 
..Health & Physical Education Science " Social Sciences & Humanities 
34 

35 
To extend your understanding of organ and tissue 
donation and transplantation, undertake one of 
the following activities: 
Research Radio Assignment 
Research one aspect of organ or tissue transplantation Ð locate books and 
check online for more complete summaries of recent or historical developments. 
Work in a group of three or four. Choose an area in organ or tissue donation and 
transplantation that most interests you. For example, at burn centres in Ontario, there is 
a major effort to assist patients who have experienced massive burns on their faces and 
other parts of their body. You may want to explore the ways in which skin donation has 
developed for fire survivors and burn victims. 
Together, write and tape record a five-minute radio program to give students within 
your class or other senior classes the benefit of your investigations. Given the speed with 
which innovations emerge, discussion of these important topics will help you develop 
a personal response when breakthroughs are discussed publicly. 
View DVD/Prepare Questions 
After viewing the One LifeÉMany Gifts DVD, discuss with a partner five ideas or facts that 
struck you as the most interesting. Prepare a list of questions you would like to explore 
more fully. Many of these questions will be answered by the end of this unit. Return to 
your list of questions at the end of the unit to see if they have all been answered. 
Read, Discuss and Write a Newspaper Report 
Take a look at some of the firsts in the world in ÒBreakthroughs and Accomplishments in 
TransplantationÓ in this booklet. Count the number of times over the last 50 years that 
Canadian doctors, working in Canadian hospitals, have been cited. Did you know we had 
so many firsts, not just in Canada but also around the world? With a partner, discuss the 
one that most impresses you. Write a newspaper report of the ÒfirstÓ that impressed 
you the most. DonÕt forget to include a headline. You may wish to work with your 
teacher to see how you can get your report printed in a community newspaper or 
school board newsletter. 
Oral Presentation 
Choose any of the organ or multi-organ transplants that appear in ÒBreakthroughs 
and Accomplishments in TransplantationÓ in this booklet. Consult with one or two of 
the resource books on the human body in your classroom, in the local library or online. 
Working in groups of four, prepare a short oral presentation for the class in which you 
show pictures of the organ you chose, discuss the many functions that it performs, and 
explain what the implications would be for a personÕs health if that organ was failing. 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
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Create a Persuasive Public Service Announcement 
One of the big problems we face as Canadians is that we do not have enough donors to 
meet the demand. Team up with a partner and construct a public service announcement 
(PSA) that would convince a potential organ and tissue donor Ð someone who is 16 or older 
Ð to become involved personally. 
This is a serious challenge: how can you assist someone who knows nothing about 
organ and tissue donation to move from a position of ignorance, through understanding, 
and on to participation? 
Remember, we are looking for action, in addition to an understanding of the benefits 
of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. You may use print, video, posters, 
billboards, 60-second public service announcements or graffiti as a vehicle for your ad. 
Once you have completed this assignment, think of places in your school or community to 
display your work to encourage a better understanding of organ and tissue donation. You 
may want to consider local libraries, radio stations, community newspapers, places of 
worship and community centres. 
Develop a Survey 
In Ontario, every three days a patient on a waiting list for a donated organ will die before 
an appropriate organ becomes available for transplant. As a citizen of Canada, do you 
think we have an obligation to sign a donor card or register as a donor in case there is a 
circumstance when you could give an organ to another person? Create a short survey you 
can give to friends, family and community members. 
Fundamentally, the questions you will need to ask on your survey deal with these issues: 
Am I my brotherÕs (or sisterÕs) keeper? Do we have obligations that extend beyond looking 
after our immediate family and ourselves? To what extent should we also feel an obligation 
to other citizens in Canada? If we do have obligations, what are they, and how much impact 
should they have on our lives? These questions, and others that you think are important, 
can become the basis of your survey. Responses from other people will help you sharpen 
your own thinking. 
Speak to at least ten people of different ages outside of your class. Family members are 
likely to have strong opinions. Even stopping people in a mall or on the street to ask the 
questions you have chosen is a good idea. Your survey should have at least five questions. 
Be sure to include a chance for people to give their opinion in more than ÒYes/NoÓ 
answers. You may wish to refer to the Myths and Misperceptions Quiz in the Resource 
Guide booklet for ideas. You may conduct the short survey by yourself, or team up with 
one or two classmates. When you have finished, come back to class, report on your 
findings and present your own opinion. 
e) 
f) 
OVER TO YOUÉ 
36 
v.. ! 
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37 
Write a Poem, Reflection or Scene 
Included in this booklet is the poem To Remember MeÉ, by Robert N. Test. 
Read his poem and complete one of the following activities: 
i) Choose one stanza of the poem and use it as a starting point to write a poem, 
comment or dramatic scene from the point of view of someone who has become an 
organ or tissue recipient. 
ii) Write a poem about how you would like to be remembered, using the same title 
and format as To Remember MeÉ. 
Research and Read Aloud 
If you are interested in learning about more personal stories, you or your teacher can order 
a copy of the British book and DVD Transforming Lives. The resource book features dozens of 
stories of people whose lives have been changed irrevocably by the receipt of an organ. It 
also features interviews with donor families, with people who struggled with their own grief 
and, at the same time, thought of others who could use a precious gift of life. 
Select the most powerful story within the book, and read it aloud to the class. 
You can download the book for free at: www.legacyoflife.co.uk/thebook.html 
g) 
h) ! v
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!The Arts Canadian & World Studies vEnglish Guidance & Career Education 
..Health & Physical Education Science " Social Sciences & Humanities

One LifeÉMany Gifts is a curriculum resource to educate senior 
secondary school students about the vital importance of organ and 
tissue donation and transplantation. It brings to life the drama, 
generosity and the life-saving promise of donation and transplantation. 
Funding for this project has been provided by the provincial Ministry 
of Education and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. 
This project would not have been possible without their support or 
the generosity of an anonymous Ontario resident whose contribution 
ensures that students in the province understand the life-saving 
promise of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. 
The Steering Committee sincerely thanks all of our supporters. 
The development of this curriculum has been co-sponsored and 
coordinated by the Trillium Gift of Life Network, the Multi-Organ 
Transplant Program at London Health Sciences Centre and 
The Kidney Foundation of Canada. 
Educating secondary school students and their families about the 
need for organ and tissue donation and the success of transplantation 
was originally initiated in the London region in 2000. With funding 
received from The Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Multi-Organ 
Transplant Program at London Health Sciences Centre had the vision 
to develop a unit of study, One LifeÉMany Gifts, working with both 
the Thames Valley District School Board and the London Catholic 
District School Board. The original program was used in Healthy 
Active Living Education, Grade 11, Open (PPL30) in OntarioÕs 
curriculum. The curriculum resource before you builds on the vision 
and foundation provided by this original program and the Steering 
Committee gratefully acknowledges the dedication and pioneering 
effort of all those involved in the original program. 
This curriculum is dedicated to the many Ontarians who have given 
the gift of life through the donation of organs and tissue and to the 
many others who will in the future. 
For more information on the One LifeÉMany Gifts curriculum program 
please contact the Director of Communications, Trillium Gift of Life 
Network at 1-800-263-2833 or visit: www.onelifemanygifts.ca 
© QueenÕs Printer for Ontario, revised 2009. 
Medical health-care professionals from the field of organ and 
tissue donation and transplantation and educational advisors 
were involved in the development and implementation of the 
One LifeÉMany Gifts project. 
Steering Committee: 
Frank Markel, President and CEO, 
Trillium Gift of Life Network 
Dr. William Wall, Transplant Surgeon, 
Multi-Organ Transplant Program, London Health Sciences Centre 
Jim O'Brien, Executive Director, 
The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Ontario Branch 
Project Support Team: 
Cailey Crawford, Education Project Manager, 
Trillium Gift of Life Network 
Cate Abbott, Information & Resources, 
Multi-Organ Transplant Program, London Health Sciences Centre 
Mahms Richard-Mohamed, Transplant Donor Coordinator, 
Multi-Organ Transplant Program, London Health Sciences Centre 
Wendy Kudeba, Director of Marketing and Communications, 
Pam Logan, Communications Manager, 
The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Ontario Branch 
Writer: 
Linda Rainsberry 
Educational Consultant and Program Advisor: 
Joan Green 
Design: 
Niki Fleming 
Vince Rozas, design assistant and line art illustration 
The Steering Committee gratefully acknowledges and thanks the 
many individuals who contributed to the success of this project. 
Donor families, recipients, health-care professionals, educators 
and community members were all very generous with their time and 
expertise. One LifeÉMany Gifts is richer because of their participation.

Every April, during National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, 
supporters of donation in various communities across Ontario gather together 
to form a living green ribbon, the international symbol for organ donation.