Our Mission
To increase the number of registered organ and tissue donors in the National Capital Region, and to foster a community culture that is educated on the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Our Vision
To play a significant part in improving the lives of people needing a lifesaving organ transplant.
To become one of the leading donor registration communities in Ontario.
Who We Are & What We Do
We are a volunteer based organization, our membership consists of transplant recipients, living organ donors, caregivers, donor family members and community volunteers; all of whom share the same common goal...to increase the number of registered organ donors.
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We do this by taking part in a variety of community activities/events throughout the National Capital Region, some of which include (but are not limited to) festivals, trade shows, public speaking/engagement events, media interviews, and collaboration with like-minded community partners.
Message from the chairs
Welcome to the Ottawa Gift of Life!
This amazing little group started back in 2017, when a group of total strangers met one evening to talk about organ donation. We happened to stumble upon this planned meeting by fluke, and although we had no idea what it was about, we took the leap and went anyways. Boy, are we glad we did!
That one meeting not only kick started the evolution of a strong advocacy group, it inspired us to want to do more, and it helped shaped what is now known as the Ottawa Gift of Life.
Our personal connection to organ donation started back in 2003 when Tina was diagnosed with a rare lung disease called Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension, or CTEPH for short. This one diagnosis would lead us down a path of tests and surgeries, tons of medicine, hospital stays and emergency visits, appointments with doctor after doctor, and eventually a double-lung transplant. By the time Tina got her beautiful gift of life it was 2015, about 12 years after her diagnosis.
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To say we are grateful for Tina’s donor is an understatement. This person saved US, and there would be no WE without them. So, we are 100 times beyond grateful to that person and will continue to think of them every single day that we are together, because of them.
Becoming Chairs of the Ottawa Gift of Life has allowed us to show our appreciation on a much larger scale. By educating the community on organ and tissue donation, and by encouraging them to register as organ donors, we are in a very small way helping someone get that same second chance at life that WE got.
So please, if you haven’t already registered to be an organ donor, go to beadonor.ca now and register. One donor can save up to 8 lives!
Finally, a big thank you to all the volunteers who continue to help us make a difference in this world, this group would not be possible without you. OX
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Sincerely the ever so grateful,
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Tina & Joel
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Tina and Joel Proulx
Chairs, Ottawa Gift of Life
#PassItOn
PS. Interested in making a difference in the community? Join us! We are always looking for volunteers. Sign up at our "Get Involved" page and check out our upcoming events to see what kind of volunteering opportunities are available now.