When organ donation specialist Griffin Bastedo realized there is a gap within the queer community for organ donation awareness, he wasn't going to sit by the sidelines. He says many people in his community just assume they aren’t even allowed to register as organ donors.
“The other assumption they have is they will be excluded from donating organs because of their identity, medications, or health history,” adds Griffin. “What really sparked it for me was hearing friends say things like, ‘I don’t think they’d take my organs anyway,’ and it hit me how deep the distrust and misinformation runs.”
Griffin started working at BC Transplant two years ago. Earlier this year, after many conversations with other members of his community, he took action. His first focus is collaborating with healthcare partners to ensure organ donation information is accurate, respectful and accessible to LGBTQIA+ members. This could include co-creating resources, training providers, or even updating outdated language in materials that are not inclusive.
“If we don’t see ourselves in these systems, maybe it’s time we put ourselves there,” he explains. “That’s how the initiative started—not just to educate, but to affirm that our lives, our bodies, and our choices matter. My goal is to build something that isn’t just a one-time campaign, but a sustained, community-led effort for education and change.”
It’s more than just getting people to register as organ donors. Griffin emphasizes it’s about empowerment. Too often, he says, people like him and his peers have been left out of important healthcare conversations or misunderstood.
“It’s about showing queer and trans folks that we have every right to participate in life-saving systems, and that our contributions matter. It’s about building trust in a healthcare space that hasn’t always earned our trust—and starting to shift that narrative with honesty, visibility, and care. We deserve transparency, dignity, and inclusion at every step.”
For too long, Griffin points out the LBGTQIA+ community has been left out of these important discussions. As a result, there is a lot of misinformation and fear around whether community members can be organ donors, especially if they are on medications such as PrEP or living with chronic conditions. He worked with his colleagues at
BC Transplant on an FAQ document to address the most important misconceptions.
Griffin explains, “It’s so important for us to affirm: you are not excluded. Raising awareness also opens doors for future change. When we know the truth, we can advocate, we can register, and we can help others do the same. It’s one step toward justice in healthcare, and it starts with knowing that we belong in this conversation.”
According to Griffin, here are the most important messages for the queer community:
Being LGBTQIA+ doesn’t disqualify you. It doesn’t make you less worthy. You can register. You can save lives. And your gender identity, your orientation, your medications—none of that automatically excludes you.
There’s a lot of outdated information out there, and part of our power is in unlearning it together. This initiative is about clearing the path so that more people—especially queer and trans folks—can step into that legacy without fear or doubt.
More than anything, this is about dignity. Even in death, we deserve for our wishes to be honored, our bodies respected, and our impact to be meaningful. Everyone deserves the chance to give life.
There is a lot of work ahead to undo years of misunderstanding and mistrust. But Griffin is ready to take it on, hopefully with community members and healthcare partners at his side. As he points out, this movement is much bigger than any one person. At its heart, organ donation is truly about community care, and shifting conversations about life, death, and the power we all have to help each other long after we are gone.
“Organ donation isn’t just a medical decision: it’s an act of love, legacy and solidarity,” emphasizes Griffin. “You don’t have to have all the answers to get involved. Ask questions. Share what you learn. Talk to your friends and chosen family. We all have a role in making sure the future of healthcare is inclusive, compassionate, and informed by the voices of those it’s meant to serve.”
