A liver transplant recipient in Saskatchewan says he’s concerned about a provincial law that allows families of organ donors to veto their loved one’s wishes to donate.
Fred Hofmann was speaking yesterday in Saskatoon to the province’s Standing Committee on Human Services, which is holding public hearings on donations.
READ MORE: Public hearings start on ways to boost organ donations in Saskatchewan
The Warman resident said he has yet to find anyone who can explain the law’s veto, and suggests legal authorities with the province find out why it’s still on the books.
Hofmann said it’s also perplexing why fewer than one per cent of Saskatchewan residents are registered as organ donors — the lowest rate in Canada.
He said if more information about the issue was presented to the public, there would be more support for an opt-out program in which people are placed on a donor list unless they choose otherwise.
Hofmann, who received his liver in an Edmonton hospital, told the committee that people in Saskatchewan come together to raise money for charitable endeavours, yet don’t appear willing to be charitable when it comes to being an organ donor.
“We raise millions in Telemiracle, build community halls and rinks, and if a farmer can’t get a crop off, his neighbours help him,” he said. “So why? Why is our rate so low?”
READ MORE: Ontario hits milestone with more than 340,000 registered organ donors in 2015-16
A second day of hearings in Saskatoon was planned for Tuesday.
The committee is expected by the end of November to present recommendations to the legislature on ways to boost the organ donation rate in Saskatchewan.
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