MLSE revives organ donation drive

BARBARA TURNBULL LIVING REPORTER

With his new set of lungs, Brandon Gibson can literally live and breathe hockey again.

And now the owners of the city’s two professional hockey franchises are helping make sure other kids — and adults — can do the same.

Last week, Gibson and other volunteers from Trillium Gift of Life, the provincial agency that coordinates organ and tissue donation, were on hand to talk to employees at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment’s second organ donation drive, where the owners of the Maple Leafs and Marlies — as well as the Raptors and Toronto FC — challenged other Toronto firms to stage similar events at their workplaces.

Gibson, 18, was suffering from cystic fibrosis when he first spoke to MLSE employees in 2006, the year the company first made organ donation a priority and hosted its first organ donation drive.

“This is right in line with being a leader in the community,” said president and CEO Richard Peddie. By providing convenient opportunities to register and having senior management act as examples, they hope moral suasion will lead many of their employees to follow suit, he added. “The message is that this can save lives.”

Creating awareness is a true Gibson family affair, since sister Krystyna, 20, required a tissue transplant in 2009 after a freak soccer accident tore the posterior cruciate ligament in her knee. An Achilles tendon from a deceased donor was used to graft the tear.

The family volunteers at events for Trillium, Sick Kids Hospital and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “It’s helped us deal with it,” said mom, Muriel. “It’s our way of giving back.”

All the Gibson children are into sports, with Brandon playing competitive hockey. Normally shy, the teen talks easily with strangers about transplants. “Without organ donation, I wouldn’t be here today,” he said simply.

A steady stream of employees milled around a table in the MLSE cafeteria last Friday. Over the lunch hour, 17 people filled out forms and submitted them on the spot, and another 42 took the forms home with them.

“That’s outstanding,” said J.R. Dash, Trillium’s coordinator for volunteer services and community relations. Many people don’t carry their OHIP card or number, which is needed to register, she added.

“Look at the potential of that 17,” she said, noting that one deceased donor can save eight lives with organs and enhance up to 75 with tissue.

Tom McDonald, an 11-year employee, said he had been thinking about signing up for the last few years, especially since becoming a father of two.

“If anything should happen to me, God forbid, my organs and tissue can be used for them or anyone else who needs them,” he said.

That the company adopted organ donation as a core value and provided a convenient way to register sealed the deal, McDonald added.

Vince Bozzo, director of fan experience, knew he had consented to organ donation on his driver’s license years ago, but wanted to be certain his recent decision to donate the rest of his body for medical research was recorded.

“Recently my father had a heart attack and had open-heart surgery,” he said. “With all the things we went through with health care, I wanted to make sure that I had checked everything. I hope it helps with something someday.”

Christine Chan, who works for MLSE’s Team Up charitable foundation, came to talk to the volunteers and pick up a form to take home, but wasn’t sure about filling it out. “I have really thought about it, probably more than the average 25-year-old,” she said. “It’s a Pandora’s Box of thoughts when you sign off on the sheet like this, because you have to consider everything that comes into planning for (and) discussing options with end-of-life.”

Chan acknowledged that registering as a donor is an overwhelmingly positive move. “It’s kind of like a silent legacy to the life that you leave behind,” she said. “And that’s much more than you can do in any will.”