Survivor’s story helps raise awareness for organ donor registration

The London Health Sciences Centre is sharing one survivor’s story to show how organ donors save lives. The story is being shared as part of April’s Be A Donor month, an initiative that aims to raise awareness for organ donor registration.

Doug Ferguson underwent transplant surgery in 2014 after a tumour was found on his liver. When the initial surgery failed, Ferguson was only given 24 hours to live.

Instead, Ferguson persisted and went four days without a liver before a second donor organ became available.

The second surgery, performed by LHSC transplant surgeon Dr. Douglas Quan, proved successful when Ferguson woke up from a 10-day coma.

Ferguson said he was grateful for his doctors as well the second organ donor.

“We have what I believe to be one of the best transplant teams in the world.”

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Ferguson told 980 CFPL he’s had a healthy recovery since he was released from hospital in January 2015.

“I was back at work full time in June. I hit my first hole in one in August, and I was back playing hockey in a year.”

According to the LHSC, the London region has one of the highest organ donation rates across Canada. However, Ferguson said more donors are still needed.

“We’re nowhere near where we should be … several hundred people die every year in Canada because there’s not enough organs to go around. We can fix that.”

Organ donor registration can be done in person at all ServiceOntario centres or by mailing a Gift of Life consent form to ServiceOntario.

An online option is also available at www.beadonor.ca.