Pembroke hospital recognized for organ and tissue donation excellence

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Pembroke Regional Hospital (PRH) highlighted its ongoing commitment to making organ and tissue donation a key element of end-of-life care throughout National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month in April. The hospital is also celebrating a significant achievement in this area, having once again earned provincial recognition for its efforts.

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For the sixth time, PRH has received the Routine Notification Rate Award, achieving a 100% routine notification rate throughout the 2023-2024 period. Staff made 126 notifications to Ontario Health (Trillium Gift of Life Network), a performance that placed PRH among just four hospitals in the province to attain this distinction.

“Our hospital joined the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) in the spring of 2013, demonstrating our commitment to organ and tissue donation and the importance of registering as a donor and making your wishes known to friends and family,” said PRH President and CEO Sabine Mersmann. “As part of Ontario’s Routine Notification program, we report every patient death to TGLN, allowing their specially trained staff to identify potential donors and approach families for consent. I am very pleased to share that, in the past fiscal year, our hospital’s dedication to this program resulted in seven tissue donors, enhancing the lives of many. We are immensely proud of this achievement and the profound impact it has on those in need of organ and tissue transplants.”

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The PRH was one of only four hospitals in the province to achieve this award.

To mark the occasion, the hospital hosted a special presentation on April 17. During the event, 14 frontline staff were acknowledged as “Hidden Heroes” for their involvement in the donation notification process. Staff members also wore green as a visible show of support for organ and tissue donation.

“Receiving the Routine Notification Rate Award once again is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team,” said Beth Brownlee, vice-president of clinical services and chief nursing executive. “Our staff’s commitment to ensuring that every potential donor is identified and that families are approached with compassion and care is truly commendable.”

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The event included a personal testimonial shared by Dr. Debbie Timpson, a hospital physiatrist, who spoke about her family’s experience with organ donation. Dr. Timpson’s husband, Rob, received a kidney transplant in 2011 from his cousin, Ian Haugh, a living donor.

“My husband, Rob, developed immune mediated kidney disease which required dialysis five to six days per week over a period of three years. We were grateful that dialysis was an option that kept him alive, but our lives completely revolved around his dialysis schedule,” Timpson said.

While Timpson was not a compatible donor for her husband, his cousin Haugh was a match and chose to proceed with the donation. Reflecting on his experience, Haugh described the decision as deeply meaningful, noting that it helped him become “more present” in his own life and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.

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“I encourage those out there to evaluate if giving an organ is palatable and possible, but state to all that the benefits are equally as powerful to the donor as it is to the recipient,” Haugh said.

Timpson said after the transplant, her husband felt well, had energy, and was able to do so much living.

“One cannot put a price on these additional 11 years that Ian gave to him. Rob was, and I am, forever grateful,” Timpson wrote.

PRH also used the occasion to help raise awareness about the ongoing need for organ and tissue donors in Ontario. While 90 per cent of Ontarians support donation, only 35 per cent are registered donors, and approximately 1,400 people remain on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplant.

The hospital encourages residents to learn more about organ and tissue donation and consider registering at Even one registration, they emphasize, can potentially save multiple lives.

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