This April, the David Foster Foundation is asking Canadians to become a registered organ and tissue donor to help save a life
April 3, 2025 (Toronto, ON) – Did you know that Canada still has one of the worst organ and tissue donor rates of all developing countries? This is what the David Foster Foundation wants to change this April for National Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness Month by raising awareness about the critical need to become a registered organ donor and how a little support can make a big difference.
The David Foster Foundation is a national non-profit Canadian charitable organization that was founded by 16-time Grammy award winning producer David Foster, who started the Foundation after a request from his mother. The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of pediatric organ transplants. The Foundation has supported 29% of Canadian families whose child received a liver, kidney, heart or lung transplant in 2022.
“Would you take two minutes to help save a life? That is a simple question I am asking every Canadian,” said David Foster, Founder and Chairman, David Foster Foundation. “Organ donation is more than a gesture; it can be your legacy.”
Some interesting Canadian organ donor facts and numbers as of the end of 2024 to be aware of:
- Over 4,000 Canadians are currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
- Of those on the wait-list, the number of deaths work out to roughly 5 deaths per week and 1 death every 30 hours, all which could be avoided.
- 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives and improve the quality of life for up to 75 people.
- From living donors, over 50% were from relatives and friends while the remaining were from unrelated donors.
- Of the total transplants conducted, roughly 59% were kidney, 19% liver, 13% lung, 5% heart, 2% pancreas and 2% combination transplants.
- You are 6x more likely to need a transplant than to become an organ donor.
“Little gestures help make a big difference, especially when the alarming numbers show the urgent need for organ donation,” added HCol. Michael Ravenhill, Chief Executive Officer, David Foster Foundation. “We encourage everyone to make a small donation or speak to their families about becoming an organ donor.”
There are multiple ways for Canadians to support people on the wait-list, including:
- Visit us at www.davidfosterfoundation.com to see how you can help,
- Talk to their loved ones about organ donation and register to become an organ donor,
- Follow @TheDavidFosterFoundation on Facebook, @davidfosterfdn on Twitter and @davidfosterfoundation on Instagram for the latest news and stories from the families we have helped.
Over the past 39 years, the Foundation has assisted over 1,500 families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants and provided much-needed dollars in direct family support.
About The David Foster Foundation
The David Foster Foundation provides financial assistance to families of children for all non-medical expenses while their child is going through the major organ transplant process. Thanks to its annual fundraising efforts and the generous support of Life Legacy Members, national partners, and donors, families receive financial support for day-to-day expenses such as mortgage/rent, car payments, travel expenses, utilities, groceries and more while their child is going through the major organ transplant process.
The success of the David Foster Foundation would not be possible without the generous support of Life Legacy Members including Jim & Sandi Treliving, AWIN Group of Dealerships, GAIN Group, Jim Pattison, TELUS, Paragon, The Slaight Family Foundation, Walter & Maria Schneider, Joan & Paul Waechter, Kyle MacDonald & John Franklin, James Wilson & Vivian Roy, The Anschutz Foundation, Argyros Family Foundation, The John and Bonnie Buhler Foundation Inc., The Waugh Family Foundation, S.G. Cunningham, and the Newton Glassman Charitable Foundation in Partnership with the Catalyst Capital Group.
The Foundation is also supported by National Partners: Aird & Berlis LLP, National Post, ALLVISION, and Community Partners Boston Pizza, Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Tom Lee Music, Gib-San Pools, DeerFields Clinic, StayWell, RBC Dominion Securities, and The Hillyard Stephen Group. For those who wish to have a deeper involvement with the organization, there are a number of ways to contribute including the donation of Avion Rewards and Aeroplan miles, all of which will directly help families going through the organ transplant process.
The Foundation has joined the American Society of Transplantation (AST) Living Donor Circle of Excellence, a no-cost recognition program which celebrates companies that offer paid sick leaves to employees who become living donors.
The Foundation also promotes organ donor awareness and registration in both Canada and the United States. For more information, visit www.davidfosterfoundation.com.
