Honour Logan Boulet — be an organ donor

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/05/2021 (1830 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

April 6 marked the third anniversary of the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan that took the lives of 16 people. Most were young players for the Broncos, a team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The news of this tragedy spread quickly and hit hard.

The team was on its way to a playoff game when its bus was struck by a semi. The accident changed the lives of many people.

Among the people that lost their lives that day was 21-year-old Logan Boulet, a player on team.

Logan had signed his organ donor card just weeks before, on his birthday. He also notified his family of his wishes. So when his parents knew he wasn’t going to survive they did what their son wanted. They donated his organs, and Logan improved six lives with his donation.

Word of this incredible gesture spread across Canada and suddenly people were realizing the importance of organ donation.

People became so inspired by Logan’s decision that they too began to register to become organ donors. Over 300,000 people across Canada registered in what became known as the Logan Boulet Effect.

Logan made a huge impact. April 7 has now been declared Green Shirt Day (the Broncos wear green jerseys), created to honour the many lives lost and their families, and to continue Logan’s legacy of raising awareness  of organ donation.

Logan Boulet was tragically taken away from his family that day. But they fully supported his decision to donate his organs. And they have said they are comforted knowing other lives have been saved; that his organs are keeping strangers alive.

Right now in Manitoba over 53,000 people have registered online. It’s a wonderful number but let’s make that number higher. The more people who register, the more lives will be saved.

Did you know that most people support organ donation and say they plan to donate their organs but have not registered? It is so important to make your intentions known.

If you have a signed organ donor card, it’s time to get rid of it and sign up online. It only takes a few minutes. This way there is no doubt about your intentions.

You should also talk about your decision with your family members so that they are aware.

They may want to sign up too. Please go to signupforlife.ca and register. You could change many lives.

Jennifer Laferriere is a community correspondent for Garden City.