Hospital names new lead doc for organ donation

It's National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week this week — what better time to name a new lead physician for organ and tissue donation.

Health Sciences North has selected Dr. Bhanu Nalla, a critical care physician and anaesthetist, to work with the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) on educating, promoting and co-ordinating organ and tissue donation at HSN.

Nalla takes over from Dr. Martin Shine, who recently retired as the long-time lead for organ donation. Dr. Shine was presented with the TGLN Donor Champion Award for his years of advocacy for organ and tissue donation. http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2015/04/15-organ-donor-sudbury.aspx

As part of National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, HSN is inviting people to register as donors and launch their own donor drives to encourage others to sign up.

To register as a donor and launch a donor drive only takes a few minutes. Visit beadonor.ca and click on “Spread the Word.” https://beadonor.ca/

In 2014, Greater Sudbury and northeastern Ontario had the highest rates of people per population registered to be organ and tissue donors. Five out of the top 10 donor communities in Ontario were located within Greater Sudbury (Garson, Hanmer, Lively, Sudbury, Val Caron). The remaining communities in the top 10 were all located within northeastern Ontario (North Bay, Nipissing North, Parry Sound, Parry Sound North Shore, Timmins).

HSN has some of the best organ and tissue donation rates among Ontario hospitals. Last year
there was a total of 39 organ and tissue donations at HSN.

Currently, approximately 26 per cent of eligible Ontarians are organ donors, and 1500 people are on a waiting list for organ donation. Since 2003, more than 10,000 Ontario residents have received a life-saving organ or tissue donation.