Well that's a wrap on Be A Donor Month 2021! A big thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and pictures with us. It was very inspiring to receive submissions from across the country, from various members of our transplant community, including registered organ donors, living donors, transplant recipients, and angel donor families.
As predicted, April was a busy month. In addition to Be A Donor Month, we celebrated Green Shirt Day, NOTDAW and a program milestone for the live donor liver transplant program (see below!). But the cherry on top was seeing Dr. Atul Humar, Medical Director of the Ajmera Transplant Centre, and Dr. Deepali Kumar, Director of Transplant Infectious Diseases, receive the Transplantation Champion Award. The award, provided by the Trillium Gift of Life Network, was presented for the duo's exceptional work and dedication during the last year. Congratulations Dr. Humar and Dr. Kumar!
As we move into May and the summer months, we've very much looking forward to sunnier days spent outdoors - and we're sure we're not alone in that. To ensure that we can gather safely outdoors this summer, we strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated. Below you'll find a few ways you can help us build vaccine confidence in our transplant communities, and a few ways for you to build your own vaccine confidence if you're unsure. Let's come together and put an end to COVID-19!
Happy May, and see you in June!
The Centre Team
What's New
UHN Performs 1000th Living Donor Liver Transplant
The Ajmera Transplant Centre’s Living Donor Liver Transplant (LDLT) Program has performed its landmark 1,000th transplant since the program began in 2000. Dr. Mark Cattral – who assisted in the first LDLT at UHN in 1996 – performed the milestone surgery last month.
Let's See Your Vaccine Selfie
Calling all transplant recipients, donor families, essential caregivers and living organ donors - we want to share your vaccine selfies! Help us build confidence in the transplant community by showing others that #VaccinesWork. Email or DM us your vaccine selfie along with your connection to transplant. If you'd like, share a quote with us about why you decided to get the jab. Pictured here are heart transplant recipient Ryley and her mother and caregiver, Joanna.
In Case You Missed It
In our third Vaccine Q&A Dr. Deepali Kumar, Dr. Cecilia Chaparro and RN Andrea Norgate are joined by Dr. Ramesh Prasad, Transplant Nephrologist, St. Michael's Hospital, for an in depth discussion on the COVID-19 vaccine for transplant patients, and the transplant community. Like our previous sessions, this event was moderated by Joanne Kearney, living donor kidney transplant recipient and board member of the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation.
In the latest episode of Living Transplant, Courtney and Brittany sit down with Jeff Robertson, Founder of the PKD Foundation of Canada. Raised by a mother with PKD and a father juggling the roles of husband, caregiver and parent, Jeff learned firsthand what it means to live with chronic disease, as well as the life-altering power of transplant. With frank authenticity, Jeff talks about the ebbs and flows of fear that come with a hereditary disease in the family, why he started the PKD Foundation, mental health, and the importance of sharing your story.
The ACTION Project - part of the Centre's ongoing work to improve equitable access to live donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) - published two articles reviewing existing evidence about inequitable access and barriers to kidney transplantation (KT) and LDKT for patients from Indigenous communities in Canada (part 1) and patients from East Asian, South Asian, and African, Caribbean, and Black Canadians (part 2.)
Coming Up This Month
We are opening our (virtual) doors on May 19! The Ajmera Transplant Centre (ATC) would like to provide students and the transplant community an opportunity to meet and build relationships with our diverse team of transplant experts.
As a global leader in transplant care, research, and education, ATC nurtures access and inclusion. Diversity is a top priority given that representation is key to creating a more equitable transplant system. For those considering a career in transplant, ATC offers an opportunity for mentorship with leading experts in the field.
Our Virtual Open House includes two back-to-back events:
Clinical pharmacist, Dipika Munyal will present on the role of transplant pharmacy on May 13, 12:00 p.m. EST. Submit your questions here or go to slido.com and use the event code: Pharmacy.
Ongoing Education Session
Free online sessions presented by Heather Lannon, Outreach Coordinator, Centre for Living Organ Donation
NEW: Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
Most people who have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recover completely within a few weeks. But some people — even those who had mild versions of the disease — continue to experience symptoms long after their initial recovery. Learn about Post-COVID-19 Syndrome (also called Long COVID or Long Haul) at COVID-19 Patients and Family Resources.
NEW: Apps to Help You Sleep
A good night's sleep is recommended to support your physical and mental health. The staff at the Patient & Family Learning Centres has collected reliable apps with different ways to help you fall asleep. You can choose from music, meditation, stories or CBT based therapy.
Download Transplant Books for Free
For access to e-books, audiobooks and streaming videos, and for one-on-one assistance to set up e-books on your device call 416-603-6277 or email us at tgpen@uhn.ca.
About the Toronto General Hospital Patient & Family Library
- Find free pamphlets about healthy lifestyle choices, diseases, conditions, treatments and tests
- Learn about health-related events and resources in your community
- Read or borrow a book, video or CD from our consumer health library collection
- And more!
The Centre for Living Organ Donation at UHN
Toronto General Hospital
585 University Ave., 11PMB 100, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2N2 Canada
livingorgandonation@uhn.ca
416-340-5400
www.livingorgandonation.ca
Toronto General Hospital
585 University Ave., 11PMB 100, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2N2 Canada
livingorgandonation@uhn.ca
416-340-5400
www.livingorgandonation.ca
