Three hundred business leaders took time from the hustle and bustle of attending holiday gatherings and trying to find the perfect gift for loved ones, to reflect this morning upon the urgent need to make one other vital gift - registration of consent to be an organ and tissue donor. They were participating in Intriciti's ninth annual Bells on Bay St at the Toronto Board of Trade. This festive event provides Toronto business leaders with an opportunity to reflect and demonstrate that having values and faith does not happen only on Sunday.Leaders inspired to register consent for organ donation
Under the theme "A Christmas Card", this year's Christmas program took participants on a touching journey led by guest speaker Diane Craig, President of Corporate Class Inc., a donor mother and member of the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) Board of Directors.
Ms Craig spoke about the tragedy of losing her daughter Sandrine 10 years ago and how through Sandrine's death she gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation. Ms. Craig urged business leaders to register consent to donate organs and tissues and to 'spend some quiet time with the Holy Spirit' that's in all of us.
"I have the highest regard for Intriciti. It is an organization that has helped so many integrate faith into their daily business affairs. And, I am proud to say that, in both my professional and personal life, my relationship with Intriciti certainly has had a remarkable and positive impact. I am delighted to have spoken at this event and welcome the opportunity to inspire people to register their consent for organ and tissue donation," she said.
Each business leader was given 12 Gift of Life Consent Forms, symbolizing the 12 days of Christmas.
"Together with Intriciti, we are inspiring business leaders throughout the city to make a difference. We want them to take those forms and connect through their business and personal networks to encourage the people they know to help save a life by registering consent to donate. It only takes a few minutes and your decision to register consent could save up to eight lives and enhance as many as 75 others," said Frank Markel, President and CEO of TGLN.
The need to register consent and discuss the decision with family members and friends is great: approximately 1,700 men, women and children in Ontario are waiting for a lifesaving transplant.
"We all have the power to save and enhance lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation. Bells on Bay St. provides a wonderful forum to discuss the issues we face in donation and transplantation and offers an opportunity for business leaders to show their support by registering their consent," said Dr. Bob Bell, President of University Health Network (UHN), and Dr. Gary Levy, Director of Multi-Organ Transplant Program at the University Health Network, who participated in the event.
Through its philanthropic practice area, Intriciti is committed to assisting both faith based and non faith based charitable organizations.
You can register consent to donate organs and tissue by visiting your local Service Ontario Health Card Services - OHIP office or outreach centre where you renew your health card. You can also register by downloading and filling out a Gift of Life Consent Form from http://www.giftoflife.on.ca and mailing it to the address on the form.
If you've already signed your donor card, please also register your decision to ensure that it is recorded in a database and can be made available around the clock. Please also share your decision with your family.
“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Register to be a donor & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
Register to be a donor in Ontario or Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network. NEW for Ontario: recycleMe.org - Learn The Ins & Outs Of Organ And Tissue Donation. Register Today! For other Canadian provinces click here
In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov
In Great Britain, register at NHS Organ Donor Register
In Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register
Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants. One tissue donor can help up to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves
Has your life been saved by an organ transplant? "Pay it forward" and help spread the word about the need for organ donation - In the U.S. another person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 11 minutes and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant.
2 comments:
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