April 7th marks Green Shirt Day, a day of awareness for organ donation inspired by the #LoganBouletEffect.
In 2018, tragedy struck when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team collided with a truck, claiming 16 young lives and injuring 13 others. Logan Boulet was among those who didn’t survive. In the midst of heartbreak, Logan’s family made the remarkable decision to donate his organs, ultimately saving six lives.
This selfless act ignited what became known as the “Logan Boulet Effect,” inspiring over 150,000 Canadians to register as organ donors. Now, each April 7th, the day Logan’s organs gave others a second chance, Canadians wear green shirts to promote awareness about organ donation.
The impact is significant. In 2024 alone, over 200 organ donors saved 481 lives in British Columbia. This matters to everyone: 76% of Canadians on transplant waiting lists need kidneys, with kidney disease affecting 1 in 10 Canadians overall and 1 in 3 Indigenous Peoples.
For me, this cause is deeply personal. My mom battled kidney disease since her teens, but her health deteriorated significantly in 2019. By 2021, she needed dialysis to survive and was placed on the transplant list. Last September, thanks to a deceased donor’s generosity, my mom received a life-saving kidney transplant at Vancouver General Hospital, where we spent two and a half months during her recovery.
Who will you wear a green shirt for on April 7th? To learn more about organ donation or to register, visit register.transplant.bc.ca or greenshirtday.ca. Your decision could help save lives.
