Making it Easier to Sign Up to be an Organ Donor
Prince George, B.C.- As of today, when you visit an ICBC driver licensing location , you will be asked to register your decision about being an organ donor.
Although 50% of British Columbians believe they have registered their decision on organ donation, in reality only 21% actually have.
It is estimated more than 600 people in the province are waiting for an organ transplant . “The conversation around organ donation and registering your wishes is so important, and we need to create opportunities for these conversations to happen in communities, workplaces, and with family and friends. The expansion of the ICBC program does just that,” said Leanne Appleton, BC Transplant’s provincial executive director. “Talking about organ donation has a direct impact on organ donor registrations, and can lead to more British Columbians receiving life-saving transplants.”
Last year 1.1 million customer transactions were completed at ICBC driver licensing offices. Customers attend driver licensing locations for transactions related to their driver’s licence, BC identification, BC Services Card, as well as to pay various tickets and penalties.
“We know that an overwhelming amount of people support organ donation so we’re pleased to get behind this important cause to make it easy for our customers to register their decision,” said Mark Blucher, ICBC’s president and CEO. “With so many British Columbians visiting our offices, it’s a great opportunity to have these conversations.”
A customer only needs to register once in a lifetime, but a decal on your driver’s licence is no longer enough to ensure you’re registered as an organ donor. You can also register directly with BC Transplant by clicking here.
Comments
ICBC has that much time and resources to be involved in this??? This what our car insurance subsidizes??
I just renewed and it was one question. All of maybe 10 seconds to ask, answer and enter into the computer. Goes into the government database, of which the medical system is part of. Especially now that everything is on one card. A lot more streamlined. I’ll take the extra 10 seconds if it means I might help save someone’s life.
When they actually decide to come here to harvest organs, more than once or twice a year, they can ask me again, until then, all they are doing is poorly trying to justify their jobs.
In other word a scam.
No scam. My wife, after waiting 6 long years received a kidney last year, after years of peritoneal and Hemo dialysis. We loved going camping, forget it, travelling, forget it, you’re stuck on a machine for 4 hours, 3 days a week, and if you have an incident, it’s down to Emerg.
The things most of us take for granted are gone. Two years ago I spoke with my MLA about organ transplants, the indication was government was getting Health professionals in the interior and north on board to talk to patients and families about this life saving program and now we have more organ donors in the north than ever before, transplant teams are coming north to get organs. There is a huge waiting list for organs across Canada.
It’s called a divine surgery, when someone has passed away and they’ve donated their organs so others may live or enjoy a healthier life.
Why would anyone not get on board and donate? Your organs are of no use to you after you’re dead, so why not help someone else out?
For ICBC to get on board as well is a huge plus, very happy to see this.
Wow, a scam? Huff glue much?
the scam is they howl for donors and then won’t use them…so what do you want to call it?
maybe just job justification? does that sound better?
@stillsmokin & Bcracer
Are you guys kidding? A scam? A couple of tools. Hope you never need to use the service.
Thanks, Buddy.
really? They are telling us to enroll and yet have no intentions of coming here to get the organs… so it is a scam.
That’s not true at all. They come here regularly. I know, I transported lots of teams to and from the airport. I felt it a great responsibilty to do it safely and also felt it was an honour.
I think there are about 650 waiting for a kidney transplant in BC alone. These people are all on some form of dialysis which costs up to $3,000 a week per person to keep them alive. That means the medical system pays about 2 million dollars per week just on Dialysis for those 650. ICBC may not save money but the people of BC will. Being on a donor list will reduce the numbers on the waiting list and in turn reduce costs and will change peoples lives.
This is why registration is available at ICBC:
“Last year 1.1 million customer transactions were completed at ICBC driver licensing offices.”
I went with a friend today to get their drivers licence renewed and not one thing was mentioned about organ donation. NOTING!
nothing not noting.
Did you ask about it? You made your first comment on this story at 7:30 this morning so you knew they were rolling the program out today. If you were really that concerned about signing your friend up as a donor you should have asked for the information.
I went last week and the lady asked me… I’m pretty sure it’s on the list of questions asked when someone renews.
I had to ask about it in December and registered voluntarily on my own accord. I believe it is a noble thing to do.
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