Congratulations to our Quinte Health Care (QHC) teams for earning the Provincial Conversion Rate Award from Trillium Gift of Life Network, which we achieved by exceeding the target of a 63 percent conversion rate, with QHC reaching 100 percent. The conversion rate is the percentage of potential organ donors (patients who die in a hospital setting and are deemed medically suitable for donation) who went on to become actual donors.

"Quinte Health Care is receiving the provincial conversion rate award for the 5th year with a conversion rate of 100%," said Janet MacLean, Vice President, Clinical Donation Services, during the ceremony, which was held on online via Zoom. "This award reflects the outstanding collaboration among all members of the health care team throughout the donation process. Congratulations to Quinte Health Care on receiving this award and thank you for your ongoing commitment to save and enhance the lives of Ontarians."

In 2020/21, Quinte Health Care had four organ donors (which led to 14 transplants performed from organs recovered), and 36 tissue donors, enhancing the lives of many!

Dr. Maria Theodorou accepted the award and dedicated it to the memory of Jacquie Daley, a strong advocate for organ donation.

“For anyone who knew Jacquie, she was not only a wonderful person, but also a great colleague,” said Dr. Theodorou. “During her life she was an incredible champion for organ donation at our organization, and would never turn down the opportunity to help.”

Jacquie was placed on the lung transplant list in 2017 and received a double lung transplant in 2018. Jacquie passed away on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at Toronto General Hospital at the age of 51. Jacquie was a dedicated Labour and Delivery nurse – a member of the Quinte 7 family at Belleville General Hospital -- until she had to leave her role due to health reasons in 2016.

During the online award ceremony, Dr. Theodorou also thanked Quinte Health Care’s, “incredible, amazing ICU family, the ERs, the ORs and the wards.” She said, “We have four doors and all of them have embraced organ donation from the time we became Trillium Gift of Life Network partners. I give you all my hats off for doing this work through the challenges of the pandemic and for not letting down your focus during this difficult time.”

Congratulations and thank you to everyone at QHC who plays a role in organ and tissue donation.