The SHA Donation Program

The Tissue and Organ Donation Program is part of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The program assists health-care professionals and the general public with compassionate end of life discussions including the opportunity for tissue and organ donation. The Tissue and Organ Donation Program is based out of Regina and Saskatoon, but work collaboratively as a provincial program offering our services across Saskatchewan to help change lives of those in need of tissue or organ transplants.

A physician led interdisciplinary team is used to support organ and tissue donors and their families through the donation process. The team consists of:

• Registered Nurse Coordinators: Coordinators work for both tissue and organ donation. The coordinators organize and lead the donation process, talk to families, assist ICU staff, find the best matches for the organs, and organize surgical teams from across Canada to come to Saskatchewan for the retrieval. Coordinators are responsible for retrieving and releasing ocular tissue for transplantation here in Saskatchewan. Ocular transplant is the most common transplant done in Saskatchewan. Coordinators also work to promote public awareness of organ and tissue donation through media outlets and attending public events.

• Social Worker: The donation program social worker provides family support services to loved ones of the donor. The social worker connects with families after the donation process to offer support and respond to the unique journey donor families face. This may include, but is not limited to, offering grief and bereavement support, providing recipient updates, connecting families with community resources, and helping to identify and meet the individual needs of each family member(s).

• Organ Donor Physicians: Several physicians work with the donation program to determine if a patient is a suitable candidate for organ donation. Our donor doctors provide support to the coordinators throughout the donation process, and collaborate with intensivists and surgeons from across Canada as needed, to provide safe and competent care for the organ donor and for the recipients.

• Ocular Donor Physicians: Ophthalmologists in Regina and Saskatoon help create standards for the coordinators to follow when determining who is suitable to be an ocular donor. Our ocular surgeons use the procured tissue to perform transplants for those in need of vision restoring procedures.

• Quality Assurance: The QA role is to support the coordinators, and ensure the program is following Health Canada's regulations and policies. Quality Assurance holds the program to the highest standard of care, to assure Saskatchewan residents receive the care they deserve.