​​It started as a small pilot project on March 1, 2016 with just four driver licensing offices. Then it quickly grew into a province-wide effort with staff at 19 offices supporting conversations about organ donation and encouraging people to register their decisions. That partnership between ICBC and BC Transplant is still going strong today.

“I am so proud of every person who has had a conversation with one of our customers around a topic that can be very sensitive. Everyone believes in the importance or organ donation and that someday, that conversation could save someone's life," shares Karen Nelson, driver licensing manager at ICBC's Burnaby office.

An interview with Karen Nelson

​Tell us about your role with ICBC and what you remember from the start of this partnership with BCT 10 years ago.  

I have had the pleasure of working at ICBC for a little over 30 years.

I started in claims, transitioned to insurance, and then I had the wonderful opportunity to join driver licensing many years ago. I have seen this partnership with BCT from the start in March 2016. Our director at the time, Lee Olley, asked me to take the lead to be the ICBC liaison.

All four pilot offices were very excited to be part of this initiative and to help create awareness for BC Transplant and encourage customers to register their decision. Back then, we handed out paper registration forms to customers and the volume of forms we got back grew rapidly. We were collecting hundreds of forms monthly and sending them to our mail room at head office. Many of us had to order extra bins to hold all the forms. Hundreds quickly became thousands and we were sending the forms off to BCT two to three times a week because of the sheer volume. It was incredible to witness.

What role have the front-line driver licensing staff played in the success of this initiative?

When customers arrived to renew their BC driver's licence, BC identification card, or BC Services Card, it was our front-line employees who engaged in conversation to create awareness of the importance of registering their decision.

Customers would then complete the registration form and place it in an envelope, which they sealed and handed back to us. These envelopes were then returned to BC Transplant.

In the first year alone, ICBC helped increase registrations in the province by 15 per cent. This was truly amazing. It was an excellent display of teamwork, not just in one office, but in all offices working towards the same goal, to help educate the public on organ donation.   

Are there any personal connections to organ donation that you or your colleagues have encountered throughout the years?

Some customers have told us that they're a transplant recipient and are so proud that ICBC and BC Transplant had this partnership to create awareness. In fact, many offices had customers share this with them, which I think really made it real for our teams as this truly displayed the importance of encouraging everyone to take a moment to register their decision.

For myself, when I was asked to take the lead on this at ICBC, it was an honour because my cousin became an organ donor at the age of 20 when she suddenly passed away. She saved several lives through organ donation, so when I was asked, it allowed me to help continue her legacy.  

How has Green Shirt Day helped maintain momentum over the years and what does this day mean to the ICBC staff?

April 7th is Green Shirt Day and it is a day to honour all the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash and their families. It is also a day to continue the legacy of Logan Boulet – a Broncos player whose example has inspired thousands of Canadians to register as organ donors and talk to their families about it. Logan died in that tragic bus crash with so many others. From that grief came Green Shirt Day, so ICBC, in partnership with BC Transplant, has provided green shirts to all our front-line employees. This further enhanced support for creating awareness around the importance of organ donor registration. We proudly wear green every year.

What makes you most proud when you look back at the past decade?

I'm proud knowing that we actually made a difference and helped increase the overall number of organ donation registrations in the province. 

Knowledge is very powerful. We took the knowledge that we learned from BC Transplant and shared that with our customers, and in turn our customers actioned this, and registered their decision. This could not have occurred unless all our employees worked together and believed in the importance of creating awareness and sharing this knowledge.

90% of British Columbians believe in organ donation, but less than 30% are registered. Many people think that if you have a sticker on your driver's licence this means you're an organ donor, which is not the case anymore. We have now helped educate the public on this important issue and to me that is an amazing accomplishment as it shows just how committed and passionate our employees have been about this initiative over the years.

What do you hope the next 10 years of this partnership will achieve and how do you see it evolving?

We just recently added the QR code (to register your decision) to the card carriers for the BC driver's licence, BC identification cards, and BC Services Cards. When a customer opens their mail and sees their card, the QR code is available to scan in the comfort of their own homes.

As we continue to learn and grow, maintaining this partnership is important as it allows us to continue to share knowledge and educate everyone. This builds a greater foundation of ideas that can lead to further enhancements and accomplishments. I would love to someday see that more than 90% of the public have registered their decision, rather than just 90% support it. That means there are still further opportunities for us to expand over the next few years. It would be an honour and pleasure for me to still be part of this journey.  

--------------​

Have you registered your decision on organ donation? Learn how you can register your intent to donate in BC at transplant.bc.ca or registeryourdecision.ca.