n Halloween, 2017, Dr. Amita Dayal of Medical Associates of Port Perry, published a guest blog on the subject of organ donation through Dr. Jessica Ross’ blog Little Black Bag. This marked the launch of her Port Perry Steps Up For Organ Donation campaign. One week later, 12 people had signed up. With increased publicity, Dr. Dayal is optimistic that the goal of 200 will be reached by Christmas. But it won’t stop there. Promoting public awareness of the need for organ, blood and tissue donations, will be ongoing. The current campaign is just a reminder to people that they can give the gift of life. But you have to of- ficially register at www.beadonor.ca/ campaign/mapp/ to be recognized as part of the local campaign. People from outside of Scugog township are welcome to participate as well. As a busy physician with a family practice, seeing patients for check- ups and physicals, the subject of organ donation usually doesn’t come up, Dr. Dayal pointed out. The subject is more likely to arise in emergency or end-of-life situations. “As a family doctor, my role is to encourage people to donate their or- gans,” she feels, adding that this cam- paign should be a catalyst for conver- sations amongst her colleagues and people’s families and friends in the community. INSPIRED BY A FRIEND Dr. Dayal was inspired to start this campaign by a friend of hers who has a medical condition, which, one day, may lead to the need for a life-saving organ donation. An online discussion with other medical professionals also prompted her to take action. Did you know that in the United States, organ donation is an opt-out program? That means that if you do not express opposition, your organs can be har- vested. Conversely, Canada has an opt-in program, so you sign up online or mail in the organ donor card at- tached to your driver’s license. It only takes two minutes to register and anyone over the age of 16 is welcome to do so through Ontario’s Trillium Gift of Life Network. CLOSING THE GAP Statistics show that every three days, someone in Ontario dies because the life-saving organ trans- plant they need is not available, yet less than 30% of Ontarians have registered their consent to be a donor. Over 1,500 people in the province are waiting for organ transplants, and thousands more are waiting for tissue Port Perry Steps Up For ORGAN DONATION Port Perry Steps Up For ORGAN DONATION O O O O Dr. Amita Dayal spearheading a new campaign. ........ Please turn to page 45 PHOTO BY MARYANN FLEMING FOCUS - DECEMBER 2017 43