Hidden Heroes Awards
April is Be a Donor Month. In 2023-2024, St. Joe’s had 26 total tissue donors which lead to 15 ocular recipients, 1 multi-tissue recipient and 10 donors who supported research and education. Organs and tissue that donors can provide include the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, small intestines, eyes, bone, skin, and heart valves.
Many individuals and teams support the organ and tissue donation process. This April, we celebrate the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team and the Histocompatibility Lab (HLA) for all their efforts in organ donation during “Be a Donor Month”.
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
The ICU team plays a pivotal role in the organ donation process here at St. Joe’s. We have seen them work tirelessly, not only to save lives but also to extend those lives through the selfless gift of organ and tissue donation.
With compassion and dedication to promoting a quality experience for our patients and families, the ICU team participates in identifying and assessing potential donors, while supporting families in navigating the logistics of the decision-making. Their tireless efforts are integral to the success of organ and tissue donation.
Their role extends beyond the medical care they provide; empathy and understanding are demonstrated during incredibly difficult times. From initiating the request with sensitivity, to acknowledging the profound loss, they guide families through the delicate process of honoring their loved one's wishes regarding organ donation.
By soliciting the family's perspectives and beliefs, they ensure that every decision aligns with the patient's and family's wishes and values, truly living out St. Joe’s mission and vision. This process involves developing and maintaining a supportive relationship with the donor family and offering solace and comfort during an emotionally challenging period.
Their unwavering dedication extends beyond the confines of their roles, leaving an indelible mark of gratitude on the lives they touch.
The Histocompatibility Lab (HLA Lab)
The HLA Lab is an integral component of Hamilton’s two transplantation programs – the Renal Transplant Program at St. Joe’s and the Stem Cell Transplant Program at the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre. When patients require a transplant, an appropriate donor must be found.
The HLA lab provides tissue typing, antibody testing and crossmatch testing to help find a compatible donor for patients awaiting a transplant. Additionally, in assessing suitability of the match, our lab performs testing to identify pre-formed antibodies that may lead to increased risk of rejection.
To ensure we find the best donor and improve the chance of successful transplant, the HLA Lab collaborates closely with local clinical programs and our national colleagues. They are dedicated to ensuring quality and are invested in finding the best match for our patients. Each donor recipient case is unique and HLA testing is key to ensuring a successful transplant outcome.
HLA Lab testing and interpretation is constantly evolving and consistently meets local, provincial, national and international quality assurance standards. The HLA lab currently completes testing on over 3,000 donor and recipient samples per year, as well as disease association testing.
They also provide donor and recipient testing 24 hours a day with our staff being on-call if a deceased kidney donor organ becomes available. HLA testing is specialized and must be done in a timely manner, which requires a unique and specialized skill set in our lab staff.
“Matchmaking” a donor and recipient requires a large amount of testing, interpretation and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams but by working together we can provide the gift of life.