Gift Of Life

From 1970 to 2005, coordination of organ donation for the province was performed by the Transplant Program, which shared its resources with the kidney transplant program. In recognition of the growing need to create an independent Organ Donor Organization (ODO) to enhance organ donation and to comply with new Health Canada Regulations, the Health Sciences Centre and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Senior Leadership restructured the Manitoba Transplant Program into the Transplant Manitoba - Gift of Life Program (as the provincial ODO) and the Transplant Manitoba - Adult Kidney Program, the Lung Transplant Program, the Liver Transplant Program and the Manitoba Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program in November 2005.

In order to increase access to kidney transplantation for Manitobans, the Transplant Manitoba - Adult Kidney Program’s was funded to increase the number of living donor transplants in 2006/2007. The target is to perform 25 living donor kidney transplants in 2006, increasing to 30 in 2007. In addition, the WRHA has provided funding to the program to improve access to organs for the sensitized patient using new medical therapies.

Transplant Manitoba-Gift of Life is the province’s coordinating body responsible for organ procurement and whose mandate is to become a leader in access to transplantation for Manitobans with end-organ failure. The organization works directly with donor families and recipients, health care professionals and related organizations. Transplant Manitoba-Gift of Life program serves as a public awareness vehicle that advocates organ donation. The program supports recipients and their families and families of deceased organ donors with bereavement care and donor recognition initiatives.

The long-term vision of Transplant Manitoba-Gift of Life program is five-fold. First, to have the majority of Manitobans sign their organ donor cards and confirm their intentions with loved ones because they believe in the value of organ donation. Second, to have 75% of potential donors converted to actual donors because they have signed their organ donor card and their loved ones are aware of their intentions, and the organ donation process is efficient in practicing rapid response. Third, that Manitoba will have the shortest wait time for people awaiting organ transplant and better outcomes for patients because they receive treatment earlier. Fourth, because organ donor response is so high, Manitoba will be able to expand our facilities at home to include transplant surgeries we don’t currently have and help others beyond our provincial boundaries. And last, but not least, Manitoba’s transplant system and strategy will serve as a national model and Transplant Manitoba – Gift of Life will be active in developing a national registry that matches organs with donors, especially for difficult to match people with HLA antibody barriers.

Transplant Manitoba-Gift of Life Program has undertaken the development of a Brand Strategy and new logo design to reflect the restructuring of the program. The program also embarked on a public service announcement and transit shelter campaign in partnership with Tissue Bank Manitoba and Lion’s Eye Bank of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario Inc.

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For more information on organ donation or to obtain a donor card call 204-787-1897