 News
Southlake Regional recognized
as a top eye donor centre
Newmarket, Ontario - In celebration of National Organ &
Tissue Donor Awareness Week, Southlake Regional Health Centre was
recently awarded a certificate of appreciation from the Eye Bank
of Canada, Ontario Division for being one of the top eye donor centres
in Ontario in 2000. The number of eyes donated by the hospital doubled
from the number donated in 1999.
"This program obviously benefits the recipients, but it also
gives the donor family comfort knowing that some good has come from
their loss," stated Addie Vidler, manager, ambulatory services.
This increase is as a result of Southlake Regional's commitment
to encourage the donation of organs and tissues, and to establish
procedures to identify potential donors and present the options
for organ and tissue donation.
"The entire health care team at Southlake Regional is committed
to the promotion of all types of organ donation, not just eye donations,"
stated Patricia Norman, vice president, regional programs.
In Ontario, 1200 people each year have their sight restored through
corneal transplants made possible by eye donations. During a transplant
procedure, the thin layer of clear tissue that covers the front
part of the eye, or the cornea, is transplanted to a person whose
vision is limited because of damaged or diseased cornea.
Almost anyone can be an eye donor. One person's donation allows
two people to receive corneal transplants and two or more others
to undergo various eye surgeries to save their vision and treat
eye disease.
Eyes that are unsafe for transplant can be offered, with consent,
for medical research and surgical training to advance the treatment
of various blinding eye diseases like glaucoma.
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