Orgtober Spotlight: Edmonton Read-In Week
Give Life Alberta visits Elmwood School students grade 4 and 6 to read The ant who needed a transplant. Photos provided by Give Life Alberta.
Orgtober, formerly known as October, is Organ Donation Education Month.
Initiated by the Orgamites, the only global organ donation awareness program of its kind, Orgtober’s mission is this: to make students everywhere more aware of their amazing organs, then get more families talking about organ donation, and thereby, increase the amount of organ donors in the long term which will ultimately save countless more lives.
Mary Hanley School, grade 6. Photos provided by Give Life Alberta
Edmonton kids learn about organ and tissue donation during
Hundreds of Edmonton elementary and junior high students are learning about the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation during Read-In Week, thanks to a special book. The Ant Who Needed a Transplant, written by retired Ontario transplant surgeon Dr. Bill Wall, follows the journey of Papa Ant as his heart begins to fail and the amazing gift of life he receives.
Give Life Alberta’s senior communications advisor Su-Ling Goh was invited to read the book in 14 Edmonton public and Catholic schools. Many students asked questions about how donation works and what can be transplanted. Some shared stories about people they knew who received organ transplants.
Canadian Blood Services donated a copy of the book to each school, as well as an Orgamites Teacher Toolkit.
“[E]very single class had a ton of questions. Teachers also had questions themselves - and two teachers who are recipients shared their stories. I feel there is definitely an appetite for this type of information in schools.”
St. Rose, grade 8 STEM class. Photos provided by Give Life Alberta.
About the ant who needed a transplant, written by Dr. Bill Wall
Mama Ant, Papa Ant, Russell, and Sophie all live together in a thriving ant community. They love each other very much, and in the winter their favourite activity is to go tobogganing together. But one winter, Papa Ant has trouble climbing the hill. He goes to the doctor and is told that he needs a heart transplant. What will the ant family do? Will anyone be able to save their Papa?
the ant who needed a transplant is a touching story that embraces the themes of empathy, altruism, and compassion. It is meant to intrigue children and help them learn how an act of kindness can save a life.
About Give Life Alberta
Give Life Alberta (GLA) is the organ and tissue donation program in the province of Alberta, Canada. Services are provided using a collaborative approach by specialized teams in Edmonton and Calgary. GLA's mission is to optimize patient and family care related to organ and tissue donation, to uphold responsible stewardship of the gifts of organs and tissues, and to enhance access to transplantation.
St. Paul, grade 6 class. Photos provided by Give Life Alberta.
Education Matters
Education is a key element for improving organ and tissue donation in Canada. The Organs & Tissues for Life Education Portal, introduced in 2022 by Canadian Blood Services in collaboration with Canada's organ and tissue donation community, offers age-appropriate, easy-to-access and easy-to-use teaching resources for educators to spark interest in, and conversations about, organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
Education is key to addressing young people’s concerns about organ and tissue donation. It can help them feel empowered to talk about donation with their families and equip them to make informed choices in the future. Teach it. Learn it. Talk about it. It's vitally important...
By fostering more open conversations about our remarkable organs, their health, and acts of kindness, we aim to encourage more families to discuss organ donation and share their choices with loved ones long before the need arises.
What is Orgtober?
Orgtober, formerly known as October, is now 'Organ Donation Education Month’– a full month dedicated to promoting organ donation education among students, teachers, and families across the world (starting in Northern Ireland and Canada). By highlighting the importance of organ donation and encouraging more people to consider registering as organ donors, we hope to create a worldwide movement that will impact generations to come and save countless lives too.
Discover educational tools for all grades and ages, visit learn.organtissuedonation.ca
To learn more about the Orgamites Education Program (K-8) and to download your free resources, visit Orgamites.ca
Why?
In Canada, more than 4,000 people are on the transplant waiting list, and hundreds die each year waiting for a donor. Choose to leave well so others can live well. Register to be an organ and tissue donor.
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