A Kingston double-lung transplant recipient who has also served as a donor advocate for years was honoured at Hotel Dieu hospital on Monday. Shillane Labbett was one of three Ontario residents to receive the inaugural Advocates in Action Award by the Trillium Gift of Life Network.
“When you’ve been to point when it is almost the end and then you’ve been brought back to life with this incredible gift. It almost makes you want to be an advocate,” Labbett said.
Labbett was one of 32 people nominated for the award. She joined the Transplant Advocate Association in 2007, two years after undergoing her surgery.
Ronnie Gavsie, the president and CEO of the Trillium Gift of Life Network, says among Labbett’s achievements is helping to raise Kingston’s organ and donation rate to 47 per cent, well above the provincial average of 32 per cent.
“She’s an example for all of us to follow. She really is, she’s just got passion, she’s unstoppable, and look at Kingston, 47 per cent registration. We need Shillanes all over the province.”
One person dies every three days while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in Ontario. Shillane Labbett says she now lives to spread the donation message.