The Canadian Transplant games

The HeartLinks Board had tentatively booked our Annual Summer Picnic for June 12, 2021. At our board meeting on April 21, 2021, the Board decided to postpone our 2021 Annual Summer Picnic.  Given the numbers of COVID positive continue to increase along with rising cases of variants, the Board decided not to organize a membership outing until the risks associated with COVID are reduced. We will keep you informed as to upcoming events when our public health  environment changes.

April was a busy month with Green Shirt Day and NOTDAW recently wrapping up. It was an incredible month! 1,000 Manitoban's  have registered their donation decisions using Manitoba's online organ and tissue donor registry, www.signupforlife.ca. The registry currently holds 54,000 registrations and the number climbs everyday. We're looking forward to next year while keeping organ and tissue donor awareness conversations going.

 Today begins National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week (NOTDAW) from April 18th-24th. A week long celebration of organ and tissue donor awareness and promotion. How you can take part: follow social media sites like Transplant Manitoba on Facebook and www.canadianbloodservices.ca to see how Manitoba’s various organ donor agencies are promoting awareness; recycle that old Blue Donor Card if you have one, have the chat with your loved ones and register your intentions online at www.signupforlife.ca. It takes just 2 minutes and three pieces of information – name, birthdate and nine-digit health card number. Since the launch of the registry in 2012, more than 53,000 Manitobans have registered and the number climbs every day. Happy #BeADonorMonth # WhatsInYourWallet #WhoKnew #HaveTheChat #NOTDAW2021 #SignUpForLife

April 7, 2021 marks the third annual Green Shirt Day. Logan Boulet’s parents, Toby & Bernadine Boulet launched GREEN SHIRT DAY in 2019 in honour of the “Logan Boulet Effect” and Organ Donation and Awareness.  The April 6th, 2018 bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team resulted in the loss of 16 lives, including Logan Boulet’s. Logan was a registered organ donor prior to the crash and once news of this selfless act became known, Canadians responded and began registering across the country in a wave of generosity never seen before. More than 100,000 Canadians registered and it became known as the #LoganBouletEffect. Having conversations about the gift of life is important. Logan had shared his decision to be a donor with his family and in honouring his wishes, six others received a second chance at life. If organ and tissue donation are important to you, talk with your family and register your decision using www.signupforlife.ca #GreenShirtDay #LoganBouletEffect #organdonation #TogetherStrong #BeInspired #signupforlife #beadonor #havethechat #shareyourwishes