ST. PAUL – A St. Paul couple is helping raise awareness about organ and tissue donation.
On April 7, Albert and Denise Jacques were at the St. Paul Registry to talk to members of the community about how organ and tissue donation can save lives.
"Albert himself was a recipient of a double lung transplant and we're forever grateful for that," said Denise.
Albert said he got sick in 2015, which only kept getting worse. "I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with pulmonary fibrosis," he said. The disease occurs when the lung gets scarred and damaged. Albert was put on a wait-list for a transplant.
In November 2018, he went for surgery, and the transplant was successful. "Everything's been good since then. No rejection, no nothing."
Since the transplant, the couple has been involved with the 2nd Chance Trail Ride Society, a non-profit advocacy group for organ and tissue donation.
The society also helps raise awareness on Green Shirt Day, which falls on April 7.
Green Shirt Day is a national campaign created in honour of Logan Boulet, who passed away at the age of 21 on April 7, 2018, due to the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. The bus crash claimed 16 of the 29 passengers.
Boulet, a defenceman for the Broncos, told his parents he was registering to be an organ donor before he passed away.
To honour his wishes, Boulet's parents offered to donate his organs.
The donation saved six lives.
News spread about Boulet's story, leading to about 150,000 people registering to become organ donors in the weeks that followed, now called the Logan Boulet Effect.
According to information from the Alberta Health Services, about 300 people are waiting for a life-saving transplant in the province alone. Close to 50 people died while on a wait-list in 2023.
Albertans interested in registering for organ donation can visit GiveLifeAlberta.ca
