Staff Report
BRANT NEWS

The Trillium Gift of Life Network hopes a new law requiring hospitals to report patient deaths and imminent deaths will help connect the many Ontarians awaiting organ transplants with available organs.

Beginning July 17, the emergency department and critical care unit of the Brant Community Healthcare System, along with 37 other designated hospitals in the province, will inform the provincial organ donation network when organs and tissue become available.

The legislation aims to increase organ donation and streamline the process by which they reach patients awaiting transplant. There are currently 19 people in Brantford and County of Brant awaiting organs for transplant.

The hospital has struck an organ and tissue donation committee with support of the various department heads, said Lina Rinaldi, vice president of patient services at BCHS.

“Our staff in the emergency department and the critical care unit is trained in this provincial directive. Similar to other hospitals, discussions with patients and families about organ and tissue donation will be done very respectfully by the specially trained staff of Trillium Gift of Life Network,” Rinaldi said.

Locally, three patients are awaiting livers, four need new lungs and 12 people require a kidney transplant.

To register for organ donation, visit www.beadonor.ca.