This #NationalNursesWeek, we proudly recognize and celebrate the incredible nurses whose compassion, expertise, and dedication make a difference every day for patients and their families in the organ donation and transplant community.
Through ODTRF funding, these nurses are also leading and supporting frontline research that improves patient experiences, advances clinical care, and drives innovation across our healthcare system. These projects, and their impacts, include:
* Wynne Chui’s grant, Improving the journey of care of people with advanced heart failure and transplant: Implementation of a peer mentorship program in practice, is being piloted at St. Paul’s Hospital and was selected for presentation this summer in France at the international Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions Conference.
* Anja Webster’s study, Natural health product and medicine use among kidney transplant recipients followed by the St. Paul’s Hospital post-kidney transplant program, identified opportunities to improve patient education and clinical guidance on natural health products for kidney transplant recipients.
* Deborah Fairhurst and Erin Waters’ project, Patient and healthcare providers experience with the Pre-Transplant Coordinator role at Providence Healthcare, aims to create a more standardized, patient-centred approach to improve confidence, communication, and care coordination throughout the transplant journey. Results are forthcoming.
This Mother’s Day, we celebrate Ali, whose dream of becoming a mom was made possible through the gift of organ donation, advances in transplantation, and ongoing research.
After receiving a life-saving double lung transplant at 19, Ali is now living the life she once only dreamed of, including welcoming her daughter Maeva.
We also honour and remember all mothers connected to the world of organ donation and transplantation—including those experiencing renewed life and grieving loss 💚 Read about Ali’s journey: /a-mothers-love-2/
As Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month comes to a close, we’re honoured to share reflections from Naomi—an ODTRF patient partner and heart transplant recipient. Her experience is a powerful reflection of the gratitude and insight that transplantation can bring, as well as the vital importance of including patient voices in shaping the future of research.
Q: How has your transplant shaped the way you see life and your future?
A: My transplant has changed the way I view life and the world for the better by broadening my perspective on life. It has involved some extreme exposure therapy on how to cope with disruption of life plans, unpredictability, and complete loss of control. But in all seriousness, I worry much less about what people think of me, bad grades, and sudden changes in plans. I am thankful to be here. I love spending time with my family and being in nursing school, and I am very thankful to be alive. I used to be very attached to my plans for the future, but I have learned that life doesn’t always go the way you plan it. And that is okay. I am learning to let go of control and allow life to unfold in the surprising ways it does.
Q: How do you honour your donor in your daily life?
A: Honouring my donor and my donor family is very important to me. I have this full, amazing life I get to live because of my donor. Although there is no way to express the extent of my gratitude, I prioritize treating my body and heart well by staying active, eating (mostly) healthy, and trying to reduce stress, among other self-care activities. I also want to honour my donor by living life to the fullest. Right now, that means being in nursing school to become an RN so I can “give back” and care for others the way I was cared for.
Q: Why is it important to include patient voices in organ donation and transplant research?
A: Including the patient voice in research is important because it is the patients’ lives that will be impacted. People with lived experience can bring a unique perspective to the table, identify gaps in the healthcare system and highlight where change would be meaningful. (Image: Naomi, far left, with her brother and sister)
Organ donation and transplantation is a true team effort, bringing together diverse expertise, from critical care and infectious disease to nursing, immunology, and beyond, all working together to make renewed life possible.
At last year’s @bc.cta Transplant Trot, ODTRF brought these individuals together as one team, running in celebration of research and the power it has on organ donation and transplantation.
Because no matter what the activity, when we work together, our collective impact is amplified.
This National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’re proud to celebrate Dakota—a liver transplant recipient who continues to give back in meaningful ways.
Six years ago, Dakota received a life-saving liver transplant. Today, she’s a dedicated school counsellor, supporting and guiding students. Beyond her professional role, she generously gives her time and energy to ODTRF, contributing through fundraisers and supporting community events.
Her lived experience fuels her commitment to helping others, “I truly enjoy my time working with the Organ Donation and Transplant Research Foundation. It gives me the opportunity to give back to others. I was fortunate enough to receive a liver from an incredible donor, and that experience continues to inspire me every day. Through ongoing research, we can save more lives and give hope to so many people.”
Dakota’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact volunteers make—thanks for all you do Dakota 💚
Transplantation has evolved from a rare procedure into a life-saving treatment. Yet its significance never diminishes, often creating profound bonds among those involved. Few connections are as unique as the one formed between a patient and the surgeon who performs the transplant as this marks the beginning of a new chapter from illness to renewed life.
Liver transplant recipient Mark Hoefling knows this firsthand. To mark his one-year transplant anniversary, he celebrated by cutting a cake with his surgeon, Dr. Graziano Oldani—whose groundbreaking research continues to advance transplant science.
Visit link in bio to read more about how their shared transplant experience has shaped them both.
What role does recipient-donor matching play in successful transplant outcomes? Everything! Over the past few decades, advances in immunology have greatly improved our understanding of immune responses, rejection, and immunosuppression.
Dr. James Lan is leading transformative work in this field, from launching a precision medicine program and defining what constitutes optimal donor-recipient matching, to exploring pathways for drug minimization and pioneering the use of nanopore technology.
Learn more about Dr. Lan’s innovative research and it’s impact on patient care, much of which was initiated by an ODTRF grant: /every-breakthrough-has-a-beginning-the-power-of-donor-support/
The Addison Fund for Pediatric Transplant Research was established shortly after Addison’s successful heart transplant—an extraordinary gift that gave her a second chance at life.
Her parents recognized early on that the best hope for their daughter, and children like her, lies in research. Research specifically focused on the unique needs of pediatric transplant recipients, a population too often overlooked in broader transplant studies.
Today, Addison celebrates her 15th birthday and continues to dream, plan, and thrive.
You can help make futures like Addison’s possible by supporting pediatric transplant research, link in story.
This April 11 why not celebrate Organ Donation and Tissue Awareness month by getting active and supporting pediatric transplant research!
Don’t miss the annual Zumba fundraiser for the Addison Fund—participation is by donation. Mark your calendars and help make a difference!
Details:
Where: Vancouver Japanese United Church
4010 Victoria Dr, Vancouver BC V5N 4N2 When: Saturday, April 11 from 3:00-4:30pm
To donate visit link in bio.
Every year on April 7, our partners at ODTRF participate in #GreenShirtDay to honour Logan Boulet and the legacy that inspires Canadians to register as organ donors 💚
For Co-Chair Rachael Durie, a living kidney donor, and Senior Advisor Kristi Coldwell, a heart recipient, Green Shirt Day is a powerful reminder of what’s involved in making the gift of life possible.
Intensely dedicated scientists and clinicians in BC are working to save more lives through transplants. With your support, we can increase survival rates for transplant recipients by catalyzing innovative organ donation and transplant research.
Learn more about how ODTRF and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation are working to make transplant a cure through donor support at the link in our bio.
This is VGH+ You.
VGH+ @trfbc
#NationalOrganAndTissueDonationAwarenessMonth
This Green Shirt Day, ODTRF wears green to honour Logan Boulet and the legacy that continues to inspire Canadians to register as organ donors.
For Co-Chair Rachael, a living kidney donor, and Senior Advisor Kristi, a heart recipient, this day is also a powerful reminder of what’s involved in making the gift of life possible. From organ donors and their families to the research that drives progress, it truly takes a collective effort to transform lives.
#greenshirtday #organdonation
April is National Organ Donation Awareness Month💚
This month, we’re shining a light on groundbreaking organ donation and transplant research and celebrating the community of individuals who make it all possible.
In 2025, 575 British Columbians were saved thanks to organ donors, a powerful reminder of the impact one decision can make.
Register your decision today at transplant.bc.ca
