Quesnel, B.C. – A  pilot project aimed at getting people to sign up  to consent to organ donation is being heralded as a success.

More than 95% of British Columbians support organ donation but only 19% have registered. With close to 500 citizens on the transplant waiting list in B.C. signing up to become an organ donor could help save lives – possibly the life of a neighbour, co-worker, friend or family member in need.

Having  a   decal on your driver’s license is no longer enough, a potential donor also needs to register using a BC Services Card or CareCard at transplant.bc.ca (http://www.transplant.bc.ca/)

A three month pilot project has just wrapped up in Quesnel,  Dawson Creek ,  Salmon Arm and Port Alberni.  From September 22nd to December 19th,  residents visiting a  Service BC Centre  in one of those communities were  given the opportunity to  register their organ donation decision.

While the December numbers still have to be calculated, there were 360 registrations at these four Service BC offices  by the end of November.  That number of registrations  is quadruple the number registered during the same period  last year.

“The number of new registrations we are receiving continues to increase” says  BC Transplant Executive Director Dr. Greg Grant “We are eager to see these results carry through in a potential provincial launch.”

The Ministry of Health will now be waiting for the  final  December numbers of registrations  and if  they prove positive, will  likely  enter into  discussions with BC Transplant early in the New Year on how this registration service can be expanded to all Service BC Centres.