Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) has won a provincial award to recognize its outstanding efforts to integrate organ and tissue donation into quality end-of-life care in 2023-24.

CGMH received a Hospital Achievement Award from Ontario Health after had already been recognized with a provincial conversion rate award. The provincial conversion rate is the percentage of patients who were potential organ donors who became actual organ donors.

CGMH was among 29 hospitals across the province that received a provincial conversion rate award for meeting or exceeding Ontario Health’s conversion rate target of 63 per cent.

“Every organ and tissue donation is a gift of life, a chance for hope and healing,” said Rosemary Frketich, vice president of patient services at CGMH and CNE, in a press release. “As we celebrate our hospital receiving the Provincial Conversion Rate Award, we honor the selflessness of donors and their families, whose generosity transforms lives and strengthens our community.

CGMH is one of 49 hospitals in the province to receive a 2023-2024 Ontario Health Hospital Excellence Award.

“The success of organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Ontario relies on the dedication of our partner hospitals who work tirelessly to ensure Ontarians have the opportunity to help others by giving the gift of life” , said Rebecca Cooper, vice-president of the Ontario Renal Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) at Ontario Health. “TGLN Ontario Health is working with Collingwood General and Marine Hospital to ensure potential donors’ wishes come true. The Hospital Achievement Awards recognize this crucial work and the profound impact it can have on those awaiting organ or tissue donation.

According to Ontario Health, 1,400 people in Ontario are waiting for a life-saving organ and thousands more need a transformative tissue transplant. Ontario Health also states that one organ donor can save eight lives and improve up to 75 others through tissue donation.