Binnette knows first hand about the power of organ donation — she received a kidney 20 years ago as part of the first friend-to-friend organ donation in Atlantic Canada.
“Her gift has allowed me to live dialysis free and experience a full life with my daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchild,” said Binnette. “As someone who has been given the gift of time, I strongly encourage every Islander who can to consider being a donor, to register their wishes online and to give someone the gift of life.”
Health P.E.I. has now made it easier for Islanders to become organ and tissue donors through a new interactive version of the Intent to Donate Registry.
In the past, eligible Islanders had to complete a form and mail it into Health P.E.I. for their registration.
So far, around 19 percent of Island residents have been added to the registry by previously completing the intent to donate form.
Five Canadian provinces and territories now have a web-based intent to donate registry.
P.E.I.’s new registry will only be linked to the new provincial health card — the red heart currently found on the driver’s license and government-issued voluntary ID will be phased out by 2019.
Over the past 10 years, 32 Islanders have donated tissues and approximately 15 have donated an organ. Nearly 900 Islanders were recipients of donated tissues and 100 were organ recipients.
Many lives can be saved through organ donation after death, while people can also be living donors by donating one of their kidneys or a portion of their liver or lung.
There are currently 27 Islanders waiting for an organ transplant.
Health P.E.I. encourages people to discuss donation wishes with their families, so loved ones don’t have to make decisions at a difficult time.
Visit the province’s new online registry at healthpei.ca/organandtissuedonation.
