Did you know it takes upwards of 150 health-care professionals for each organ donor case, from donation to transplant? There are many people from various teams across the province dedicated to supporting organ donation and ultimately saving lives.
BC Transplant’s IHCs are part of the Organ Donation and Hospital Development (ODHD) team, a crucial part of the organ donation process. They oversee every step right from when a referral comes in from the ICU — meeting with the families of organ donors, supporting ICUs across various sites, managing and coordinating logistics of organ recovery. IHCs also support British Columbians who choose Medical Assistance in Dying and wish to consider organ donation. Another important part of their role is educating health-care professionals on organ donation. Each of the seven IHCs is assigned to a different geographical region.
Bobbi has been with BCT for six years and serves in the Fraser Health region of B.C. Her favourite part of the role is recognizing the ICUs and ORs for their hard work. She loves sharing with them the number of lives they have helped save through organ donation.
Our volunteer Cathleen, Bobbi (middle), and Kim on the far right
Bobbi actually has a personal connection to transplant as a cornea recipient. She has experienced firsthand the power of organ donation and now strives to support others through her role at BCT.
“Organ donation is difficult and amazing and helping to support ORs, ICUs and the families of donors at the end of life is both difficult and amazing. Organ donation does, however, provide a silver lining to a sad and difficult situation for staff and families, and, overall, some satisfaction and hope.”
Karly handles everything in the Interior Health region for BCT and has been in the role for five years. She enjoys working closely with staff from critical care areas, and she appreciates the community they have built and, most importantly, the lives they are able to save by working together.
Karly is grateful to work in the field of organ donation. She says, “I feel very honored when I work with families who have made this incredible decision to help save others through organ donation in a time of crisis. The strength it takes to put others’ needs above your own when you have been given the worst news of your life is an extremely humbling experience.”
Nikki on the far right at BC Children's Hospital
Nikki has been with BCT for over 13 years and she has two important roles. She is the IHC for Northern Health, BC Children’s Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital, as well as an Organ Donation Specialist (ODS). She takes donor referrals, meets with families, matches donors to recipients and handles many other logistics in between.
Nikki is one of the longest-serving staff members on the ODHD team. She is driven to come to work every day and says, “I appreciate the ability to give patients and donor families a voice and a choice in what happens to their organs and/or their loved one’s organs at the end of life. This choice has allowed me to meet amazing families/patients and facilitate something positive to result from the death of a loved one.”
Our other IHCs include Jenna Baker, Sandy Bazley, Shannon McCloskey and Susan Su. Thank you for all that you do to make organ donation and transplant possible across B.C.!
Organ donation and transplant all starts with a phone call from hospital teams to BC Transplant letting them know there may be a patient in the ICU who could be considered for organ donation. These referrals are the first step towards someone becoming an organ donor.
Currently, more than 6000 people in B.C. are alive today because of an organ transplant. Thank you to all the health-care professionals involved on donation and transplant for being a part of the gift of life.
