Legacy of Life

The law surrounding organ and tissue donation (Human Organ and Tissue Donation Act) has changed in Nova Scotia. The new act makes it possible for more Nova Scotians to donate their organs and tissues. Learn more at www.novascotia.ca/organtissuedonation.

About Legacy of Life

Legacy of Life is Nova Scotia's Organ and Tissue Donation Program and was founded in 2006. The program provides support for organ donation to critical care and emergency staff at all Nova Scotia Health Authority care facilities.

Our goals:

Raise public awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation; and
Encourage people to provide a legacy of life by signing up to be a donor

By doing this, we know we can make a difference in the lives of thousands who are currently waiting for transplants.

The goals of the critical care organ donation program are to:

Ensure all families are offered the option of organ and tissue donation
Provide safe organs and tissues for transplant
Promote organ and tissue donation to health care professionals and the general public.

Contact

Legacy of Life: Nova Scotia Organ and Tissue Donation Program

LegacyofLife@nshealth.ca

For information specifically about organ donation
902-473-5523
Toll-free: 1-844-411-5433

Family Support Liaison

DonorFamilySupport@nshealth.ca

For information about tissue donation

Regional Tissue Bank

902-473-4171

Toll-free: 1-800-314-6515

Donation Information

Each year, hundreds of Nova Scotians get a second chance at life thanks to the generosity of people like you. By registering as an organ and tissue donor, you offer a gift that can change many lives.

A single organ donor can save up to 8 lives and a single tissue donor can save or improve the lives of 50 to 80 people.

Unfortunately, on average, 10 Atlantic Canadians die waiting for a transplant each year.

The Importance of Donation

One organ donor can save up to eight lives and improve the lives of up to 75 people through tissue donation. For those suffering from organ failure, severe burns, and heart failure, it is the difference between life and death. For those awaiting a much needed tissue graft, it can be the difference between being able to live the life you want to live the life you have.

You are six times more likely to need an organ transplant than to become an organ donor. Donation rates have increased across Canada but transplant waitlists continue to expand. It is our goal to ensure every potential donation opportunity is identified.

The impact of donation is far reaching. From giving recipients a better quality of life, it is also a gift of comfort to grieving families during tragic times and provides a great deal of hope to those who are waiting for a transplant.

Myths and misconceptions about organ and tissue donation and transplant debunked (PDF)

Organ Donation

Everyone has the potential to be an organ donor.

You do not need to worry about whether your medical history and health status would prevent you from donating. If and when the opportunity for donation arises, our health care professionals will consult with your family or support person and review your information to determine the safety of your organs and tissues for transplant.

As with donating blood, potential organ and tissue donors are medically screened to ensure the safety of organs and tissues for tranplant recipients.

The law has changed surrounding organ and tissue donation (Human Organ and Tissue Donation Act). The change will help increase the identification of more Nova Scotians who may be eligible to become donors. Learn more.

In Nova Scotia, organ donation from a deceased person is possible in only two circumstances: after brain death (neurological death) and after cardiocirculatory death. In some cases, patients who plan to receive Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) may also donate their organs.

Living persons may also choose to help others by donating one of their kidneys or part of their liver.

Organ Donation After Death

There are two types of organ donation after death:

Neurological Determination of Death (Brain Death) – with this type of organ donation, doctors have confirmed there is severe and permanent injury resulting in no activity of the brain. Patients are at this point, are legally dead. Patients who are determined to have brain death are able to donate because their organs, including their heart and lungs, continue to function due to the machines and medicines that the ICU team give them.

The following organs can be donated:

Kidneys
Liver
Pancreas
Lungs
Heart
Small bowel

Donation after Circulatory Death – with this type of donation, the donor has a severe injury or illness. Meaningful recovery from this injury or illness is very unlikely, or the ongoing care being provided is not in keeping with the wishes of the patient. A discussion with the medical team and the family leads to a plan to switch to comfort care, allowing the patient to die naturally. In order to provide safe organs for transplant, patients must die in a timeframe that will prevent damage from happening to the organ. This is a very time sensitive process. There may be times when a patient does not die in a timeframe that enables a safe organ transplant but may enable safe tissue transplants.

The following organs can be donated:

Kidneys
Liver
Lungs

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) and Donation

Patients who plan to receive Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) may also choose to donate organs and/or tissues as part of their end of life care. If you have questions about MAiD and donation please speak with your MAiD provider or call 902-473-5523 to speak with one of our donation coordinators.

Organ & Tissue Donation for Medical Assistance in Dying - Information for Patients

Tissue donation

Every person who is 70 years of age or younger may be a potential tissue donor. There are many opportunities for tissue donation to occur even when organ donation is not possible.

Tissue recovery will occur within 24 hours of death.

Recovered tissues are stored for future use. Each tissue donor can save and/or improve up to 75 patients’ lives.

The following tissues can be donated:

Eye tissue: can offer sight restoration;
Bone and ligaments: can help patients having orthopedic surgery, dental surgery, and some cancer patients;
Heart valves
Skin: can save a burn patient

Living Organ Donation

Healthy adults may be able to donate a kidney after extensive medical testing determines it is safe for them. Living organ donation is coordinated by the Multi-Organ Transplant Program.

If you wish to donate to a patient in need, you will need to undergo a number of medical examinations to see if you are a match with your intended recipient. If you are not well matched to your intended recipient, you can still donate and help them receive a much needed transplant from someone else through the Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) program.

This program is part of Atlantic Canada’s Multi-Organ Transplant Program. If you would like additional information please call 902-473-5501 to speak with the live kidney donor coordinator.

Cultural and Religious Perspectives

It’s a common misunderstanding that religion prohibits individuals from becoming an organ or tissue donor. Most major religions support donation either by promoting donation or by supporting people to make their own decision. Most religions see organ and tissue donation as a charitable act of love and giving. If you have any specific concerns or questions, we encourage you to consult your religious leader.

We are committed to working with faith leaders and representatives of the various beliefs systems across Nova Scotia. We understand that you may have questions about whether your faith or beliefs affect your ability to become an organ donor.

Donating Your Body or Brain to Science

You can be an organ and/or tissue donor and donate your brain tissue to the Maritime Brain Bank. To learn more, please visit their website. If you wish to donate your body to science, you cannot be an organ donor, however, you may be eligible to donate corneas. If you are interested in learning more about donating your body to science please visit the Dalhousie Human Body Donation Program's website.

How to Register

If the opportunity for donation occurs, your decision to donate may result in a lifesaving and/or life altering gift. This could be neighbors and others in your community battling health problems. Their lives could be immediately improved with transplantation. You can register your wish to be an organ and tissue donor or your choice to not be a donor, also known as “opting out” at any time.

If you don’t register a decision, or have not told your family about your intent to not be a donor and a donation opportunity occurs you will be considered as if you wished to consent to donation after death. There are some exceptions to this, for example new residents of Nova Scotia, transient residents such as students, or temporary workers, and those under age 19.

The health care team will always speak with your family to confirm your “last known wish” if the opportunity for donation occurs. Talk with those closest to you. Make sure they know your wishes.

Learn more at www.novascotia.ca/organtissuedonation.

Renew your Health Card or change a donation decision:
https://novascotia.ca/dhw/msi/
902-496-7008
1-800-563-8880

Donor Family Support

The support of a family or substitute decision maker can play a crucial part in a loved one’s final decision to donate. It’s important to recognize that it is a very difficult time for everyone involved.

Our donation coordinators and tissue bank specialists recognize that this is a difficult journey and are with you every step of the way. With the family member(s) permission, we offer the option of participating in the Donor Family Support Program. Each family member has the option of participating in one or all of the following:

Phone call following organ and/or tissue recovery
Follow up letters from the Family Support Liaison (at three, six and 12 months)
Grief and bereavement resources
Donor Family Experience survey (satisfaction survey)
Invitation to Gift of Life Celebration (donor recognition ceremony)
Correspondence from transplant recipients (if/when received). Please note that changes to the organ and tissue legislation will impact recipient and family contact. Read details below for more information.

Our Donor Family Support program is led by our Family Support Liaison who is available to help families navigate their grief and bereavement journey. Every family’s experience is unique and there can be many complex emotions. The Liaison can assist families with finding resources to help them along their way toward healing. We can provide brochures, a list of suggested books, and contact information for grief and bereavement groups in your region.

Family Support Liaison:
DonorFamilySupport@nshealth.ca
902-718-9124.

Give and Receive News

Some families may want to communicate with the organ or tissue transplant recipients and share some information about their loved one. Writing to a recipient is a personal decision and the timing of when you write (if at all) may vary. What may be right for you may not be right for someone else. The possibility of having direct contact with transplant recipients at least one year post transplant can be coordinated through your family support liaison.

As of January 18, 2021, it may be possible for donor families, live donors, and recipients to have direct contact with each other, if they wish and when certain criteria are met. This contact could take many forms, such as a phone call, a face-to-face meeting, or releasing personal identifying information so you can email or connect with one another directly instead of through anonymous correspondence through the Legacy of Life Program.

Direct contact can happen at least one year after the date of a donation or transplant. Our role is to help facilitate this process.

We support donor families, live donors, and transplant recipients to make the choices that are best for them about much or how little personal information they choose to share.

The direct contact process will be open to those who receive their transplant on or after January 18, 2021.

For more information contact
Family Support Liaison:
DonorFamilySupport@nshealth.ca
902-718-9124.

Donor Family Stories

Activities/Events

If you are interested in raising awareness about donation in Nova Scotia please contact us to receive an information package and promotional items. You can spread the word by having an information display in your workplace, at your place of worship a book club or a community event. We may also be able to provide a speaker for events - be sure to let us know!

National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week (NOTDAW)

Each year in the month of April, one week is designated to raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation across Canada. Awareness events, advertising, registration drives, news stories – it's a busy month and a great opportunity to have conversations about organ donation with family and friends. Please check back to see what is planned for this year. If you are interested in hosting your own awareness raising event during this time please let us know.

Gift of Life Ceremony

The Gift of Life Ceremony was initiated in 2004 as an annual recognition ceremony to honour donors and their gift of donation. Donor families from the past year prior to six months before the event, who wish to attend, are invited with an average attendance of 200 participants. Families are invited to submit photos and brief stories of their loved ones and these stories and photos are displayed during the event. Guest speakers consist of transplant recipients and recognition certificates are handed out during the ceremony to the donor families.

For patients on a waiting list

Currently, there are approximately 150 to 200 people in Nova Scotia awaiting a transplant that will save and improve the quality of life for them and their loved ones.

With the recent announcement of changes to legislation and generosity of registered donors across the province, more Nova Scotians can expect to receive a life changing call sooner

Management of the Waiting List and Allocation Criteria

Each patient is evaluated in terms of his/her medical condition and need. The organ allocation and recipient work up process is very complex and completed by specialized teams of physicians, nurses and multidisciplinary staff. In Nova Scotia, the Multi Organ Transplant Program (MOTP) provides transplant services for all of Atlantic Canada. For more information, please visit the Multi Organ Transplant website at www.motpatlantic.ca.

For transplant recipients

Every year in Nova Scotia, approximately 125 people receive a lifesaving or life enhancing transplant. Through the gift of donation, their lives and those of their families and friends are improved for years to come.

Recipient Stories

Carrying on with heart: Tammy Ripley, transplant recipient looks to future after receiving lifesaving donation