Vancouver – BC Transplant is marking the incredible milestone of 11,000 organ transplants in B.C. during its annual Operation Popcorn campaign this week. For the 33^rd year, volunteers from BC Transplant will personally give thanks to the health-care teams around the province that make organ donation and transplant possible with festive packages of popcorn.

Recently, BC Transplant surpassed the 11,000^th transplant in the province, a testament to the dedication of health-care professionals who support organ donation and transplantation.

"This milestone truly demonstrates our collective commitment to honour the end-of-life wishes of organ donors and their families, and save lives through transplants." said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. "BC Transplant's Operation Popcorn campaign is such a positive way to shed a light on their collective efforts while raising public awareness about the positive impacts of organ donation, and I offer my deepest gratitude to all our health-care professionals involved in organ donation and transplants."

For many staff in B.C. hospitals, Operation Popcorn kicks off their holiday season as more than 80 volunteer transplant recipients, living donors and families of deceased donors drop off popcorn and share their stories directly with health-care staff. This year, BC Transplant will deliver 150 boxes of popcorn to health-care teams in intensive care units, emergency departments, operating rooms, transplant units, transplant clinics and transplant pharmacies across 28 sites.

"Health-care teams on the organ donation side often have limited contact with transplant recipients, and those who work with transplant recipients don't usually interact with organ donors and donor families," says Eric Lun, BC Transplant's executive director. "When they meet our volunteers at the Operation Popcorn deliveries, it is a powerful affirmation of the power of the gift of life."

In this season of giving, British Columbians are encouraged to have a conversation with their families about their organ donation wishes and take two minutes to either verify or register as an organ donor at checkyourdecision.ca or registeryourdecision.ca. You can give hope to the more than 600 British Columbians and their families waiting for the call that will change their lives.  

For more information on organ donation and transplant, visit: www.transplant.bc.ca.

BC Transplant provides provincial oversight for all aspects of organ donation and transplantation in B.C., and is a program within the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). B.C.'s three transplant centres are BC Children's Hospital, St Paul's Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital. Transplant patients receive follow-up care at the transplant centres or at one of eight regional clinics close to their home community. More information: www.transplant.bc.ca.

Provincial Health Services Authority is transforming health care through innovation and is committed to providing the best patient care possible through research and development of leading edge treatments, programs and services. For more information, please visit www.phsa.ca.

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Journalists who would like to attend a delivery, please email elaine.yong@bct.phsa.ca.