FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2023 (Toronto, ON). – Do you have two minutes to help save a life? This is what The David Foster Foundation is asking of all Canadians as we enter National Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness Month this April. National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month raises awareness about the critical need for registered organ donors across the country and encourages everyone to talk to their loved ones about organ donation.

The David Foster Foundation is a national non-profit Canadian charitable organization that was founded by 16-time Grammy award winning David Foster, who started it 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. Over the past 36 years, the Foundation has assisted over 1,400 families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants and provided much-needed dollars in direct family support.

“Did you know that 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives and improve the quality of life for up to 75 people? Every one of us is key to helping make a difference,” said David Foster, Founder and Chairman, David Foster Foundation. “Sadly, the need for registered organ donors is often overlooked, but it’s never too late to make that difference.”

Currently, there are over 4,000 Canadians waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. From those on the wait-list, the number of deaths that occur work out to roughly 5 deaths per week and 1 death every 30 hours, all which could have been avoided.

The need for organ donation within Canada is made more shocking by the fact that the country still has one of the worst organ and tissue donor rates in the world for a developed country with a large population. This underscores how Canadians can step up in David Foster’s mission to change this.

“As far as we have come, we know that there is more work to be done – the statistics speak for themselves,” added HCol. Michael Ravenhill, Chief Executive Officer, David Foster Foundation. “We are encouraging all Canadians to find out more about becoming registered organ and tissue donors as there may come a time that it may be your life that needs to be saved.”

There are multiple ways for Canadians to support us during National Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness Month and all year, including 1) visit us at www.davidfosterfoundation.com to see how you can help, 2) register to become an organ donor and share your wishes with your family, 3) Follow @DavidFosterFoundation on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

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, The Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, Walter & Maria Schneider, Joan & Paul Waechter, Kyle MacDonald & John Franklin, and the Newton Glassman Charitable Foundation in Partnership with the Catalyst Capital Group. The Foundation is also supported by National Partners WestJet, Aird & Berlis LLP, National Post, ALLVISION, and Schnitzer Steel, 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 also promotes organ donor awareness and registration in both Canada and the United States. For more information, visit www.davidfosterfoundation.com.