BC Transplant, an organization based in Vancouver, is celebrating the historic milestone of 11,000 organ transplants done locally in BC with a visit to Prince George.
The milestone was achieved in time for the annual Operation Popcorn campaign, which is currently in its 33rd year of operation.
Volunteers will be stopping by 28 BC hospitals with festive popcorn and stories of the impact of organ donation and transplantation. They'll be at the University Hospital of Northern BC on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
“This milestone truly demonstrates our collective commitment to honour the end-of-life wishes of organ donors and their families, and save lives through transplants,” stated health minister Josie Osborne in a press release.
This program is run by volunteers personally affected by organ donation and its life-saving effects. This includes transplant recipients, living donors, and the families of deceased donors.
“Healthcare teams on the organ donation side often have limited contact with transplant recipients and those who work with transplant recipients don’t usually interact with organ donors and donor families," stated Eric Lun, BC Transplant’s executive director. “When they meet our volunteers at the Operation Popcorn deliveries, it is a powerful affirmation of the power of the gift of life.”
This year BC Transplant will be delivering over 150 boxes of popcorn to healthcare teams that make these operations possible. This includes emergency departments, operating rooms, transplant units, transplant clinics and transplant pharmacies.
BC Transplant encourages British Columbians to have conversations with loved ones about organ donation. They note that more than 600 British Columbians and their loved ones are waiting for a call that can change lives.
