A second chance at life through organ transplantation is an incredible gift – one that has become an effective treatment for end-stage organ failure. This has all been made possible with the intense dedication and hard work of scientists and clinicians over the past few decades. But transplant is not a cure. At least not yet.
Did you know?
- Over 6100 people who live in British Columbia are alive today because of an organ transplant, with 117 of these individuals being children.
- There are currently 600 people awaiting a life saving transplant in BC.
- You are more likely to need a transplant than you are to be an organ donor.
- The 5 year survival rate averages 76% for lung recipients, 79% for liver recipients and 83% for heart recipients. While survival rates for transplant recipients have improved dramatically over the years thanks to research, there is still a long way to go.
Source: BC Transplant
Why research matters
British Columbia consistently produces some of the strongest clinical outcomes in the country, due in part to research focused on increasing the supply of organs available for transplant, reducing organ rejection, improving immunosuppressive drugs, and monitoring health outcomes for transplant recipients. You can help increase survival rates for transplant recipients by supporting organ donation and transplant research. Learn more about transplant challenges and advances.
If Transplant Was a Cure
Watch Video
Celebrating organ donors and transplant research
with Shelby Gielen
“Transplant means I was able to have a wedding day and see my 30s. It means a future and that I might even make it to retirement age, which would be an incredible blessing.”
Read Shelby’s story
Help save lives through the Organ Donation and Transplant Research Foundation of BC
The Organ Donation and Transplant Research Foundation of BC (ODTRF) supports innovative transplantation research to benefit the lives of organ recipients across British Columbia.
In 2015, a partnership was formed between ODTRF and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. ODTRF is the leading health funder of organ donation and transplant research in British Columbia. ODTRF’s goal is to provide solutions to benefit those whose lives are threatened by organ failure, and ultimately – through research – to make transplant a cure.
