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Show for Hope #4 - A Sitar Concert

Download the poster for the event

GoodHearts is sponsoring the Show for Hope #4 featuring Ustad Narinder Narula.

A Show for Hope #4 - A Sitar Concert

Featuring: Ustad Narinder Narula
Accompanied by: Anita Mittal
Tabla: Saranjot Singh

Date: September 14, 2013
Location: Stencil Hall at Taylor College, 11525 - 23 Avenue
Doors Open: 7 PM
Programme: 7:30 PM
Tickets: $20

For more information please call Suresh: 780.988.0244

2nd Chance Trail Ride - Update

The 2nd Chance Trail Ride took place on May 11, 2013 and was a huge success. Jackie, our president, and Silvio attended the event. We would like to thank everyone who was involved in the event for their hard work. We are very grateful that the 2nd Chance Trail Ride chose to raise money this year for the GoodHearts Foundation, and would like to thank them for the $55,000 they have raised for us. The money will be used for transplant housing at the Galen Lofts, where we hope to rent a third suite sometime this fall.

Here is what Jackie and Silvio had to say about the event:

Jackie making a presentation at the dinner

Silvio and I went to Lindbergh to take part in the 2nd Chance Trail Ride. 162 trail riders and over 400 people for dinner! It was an amazing day with incredible people. This year the money they raised was donated to GoodHearts. The final tally isn't in but it will be well in excess of $25,000. It was heartwarming to see so many people supporting organ and tissue donation.

- Jackie

Like Jackie, I was tremendously impressed by the turnout at Saturday's 2nd Chance Trail Ride, and all the hard work put into the event by Moe and Fay Irvine, their family members of the committee.

- Silvio

And a few more photos of the event:


The 2nd Chance Trail Ride crew.




On the trail




Body Worlds and The Cycle of Life - Calling all Volunteers

GoodHearts Foundation offers the following for your information.  We don't have a copy of the schedule for download, so if you are interested in volunteering please contact Jennifer so she may provide you with one.

--------------------

Calling All Volunteers!!

Did you know that.....?

v  More than 700 Albertans need a life-saving organ transplant?

v  Many more are waiting for a tissue transplant to dramatically improve their lives?

v  Alberta has one of the lowest donor rates in the country?

v  Almost 25% of the people waiting for a transplant will die before a donor is found?

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.   YOU CAN HELP US CHANGE THOSE NUMBERS.

We are a local group called the Tissue and Organ Donation Awareness Committee.  We are a group of organizations committed to raising public awareness and support of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.  We include: 

·      University of Alberta Hospital Transplant Program

·      Canadian Transplant Association - Alberta

·      Kidney Foundation of Canada - Northern Alberta

·      HOPE (Human Organ Procurement and Exchange)

·      International Transplant Nurses Society - Alberta

·      The Liver Foundation

·      Goodhearts Foundation

·      The Lung Association

This year we are very proud to partner with Telus World of Science to bring our message to the people of Alberta during the fabulous Body Worlds and The Cycle of Life exhibit May through the summer.   Throughout the months of the exhibit we will be providing student presentations, interactive display tables, Friday-night lecture series and more.  But we need more partners....people like you.  You have a chance to really make a difference for the hundreds of Albertans and, in fact, the thousands of Canadians waiting for a transplant.

If you can spare just a little time to man a display table, then we need your help.  We’re looking for someone who can commit to at least one 3-hour shift any day of the week between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  If you’re able to help with more than one shift....EVEN BETTER.  The more volunteers we have, and the more time they can offer, the more shifts we can cover over the 5 months.  

Volunteer Orientation sessions will be held on Wednesday, May 29 and Thursday, May 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Telus World of Science to make sure you have all the information you need to feel comfortable sharing our message of organ donation awareness.  Please reply immediately to Jennifer Holman (see below) if you plan to attend.  We will repeat the Orientation classes for anyone volunteering later in the season who cannot attend one of the sessions in May.  On the next page, you’ll see a timetable; simply fill in the shift(s) you can volunteer for on the day(s) and the week(s) that work best for you.

Send in your completed timetable to:

E-mail:  jennifer.holman@albertahealthservices .ca

FAX:       780-407-7534 (attention Jennifer Holman)

News Release - New legislation to improve organ and tissue donation rates

We thought the following news release from the Government of Alberta would be of interest to our members and offer it for your information.  We welcome any feedback you may have.

------------------

New legislation to improve organ and tissue donation rates

The Redford government is taking action to improve Alberta’s organ and tissue donation rates and lower transplant wait times across the country, in an effort to save and improve more lives.

The government will bring forward a motion tonight to adopt Private Member’s Bill, the Human Tissue and Organ Donation Amendment Act, 2013 — or Bill 207 — as a government bill.

“Our government is thrilled to adopt this good idea — I know this legislation will give us more tools to increase donation rates and save lives,” said Premier Alison Redford. “We need to encourage more Albertans to consider becoming an organ donor and I am absolutely convinced that Bill 207 will set the stage for achieving that legacy in our province.”

The Human Tissue and Organ Donation Amendment Act will establish one agency to co-ordinate organ and tissue donation activities in Alberta, including work to increase public awareness. This agency will report to the Minister of Health.  The legislation also proposes the creation of an organ and tissue consent-to-donate registry. Albertans who are willing to donate their organs and/or tissue will be able to provide online consent.

“We believe that by making it easier for people to register their intent to donate and by raising awareness of the need, we can dramatically increase organ and tissue donations in our province,” said Fred Horne, Minister of Health. “I thank Len Webber for his leadership in bringing this legislation forward as a Private Member’s Bill. Because it is of such vital importance, we want to adopt it as a government bill.”

“I am proud that this bill is moving forward with the government’s support,” said Len Webber, MLA for Calgary-Foothills and sponsor of the original Private Member’s Bill. “This legislation is going to a have a positive impact on organ and tissue donor rates, and ultimately many lives will be saved.”

Alberta lags behind other provinces in donation rates for organs and tissues. The province’s deceased organ donation rate was 16-17 donors per million population from 1995 to 2005; by 2011, the rate had dropped to 5-7 donors per million population. This compares to 16.3 donors per million population in Ontario and 11.8 donors per million population in British Columbia in 2011.

According to data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information for 2011, there were 324 Albertans actively waiting for a kidney transplant, 94 Albertans actively waiting for a liver transplant, 57 Albertans actively waiting for either a single or a double lung transplant, and 17 Albertans actively waiting for a heart transplant. Alberta has one of Canada’s highest incidences of diabetes, which is a leading cause of kidney failure requiring dialysis.

Our government was elected to keep building Alberta, to live within its means and to fight to open new markets for Alberta’s resources. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.

2013 Casino - Update

Thanks to the 28 volunteers who came out for our 2013 GoodHearts casino it was a success. The casino was held April 1 and 2 of this year at the Pure Canadian Gaming casino on Argyll.  The pay-out to the charitable organization working the casinos has averaged $75,000, but we will not know the exact amount until August. We will provide an update once more information becomes available.

Holding the casino immediately after Easter made it difficult to find volunteers, however our board member Barb Foxall came to the rescue by connecting GoodHearts with a dedicated group of volunteers who staff casinos for not-for-profit groups.

Thank-you cards were sent to all the volunteers who staffed the GoodHearts casino.

If you would like to help the GoodHearts Foundation as a volunteer at one of our fundraising events please contact us.

Information on Private Member's Bill 207

We thought the following article from the Alberta Donates LIFE Coalition would be of interest to our members and offer it for your information.  We welcome any feedback you may have.

------------------

On Thursday March 21, 2013, MLA Len Webber introduced Private Member's Bill 207 proposing the creation of an Agency to co-ordinate all Provincial organ and tissue donation issues.

Let the Government of Alberta know you would like the government to adopt its provisions and to implement Bill 207 as quickly as possible.

Citizen action NOW is critical.

THE PROBLEM:

Donation Rates Dropping and Demand is Rising:  “Alberta, while a world leader in transplant medicine, has one of the lowest rates of organ and tissue donation in the country” said Dr. Atul Humar, Director, Alberta Transplant Institute.  Over the past decade Alberta's rates of donation have declined from 17/million to 8.9/million.

Waiting in Vain:   In the past two years, 176 Albertans have died while waiting for a life saving organ transplant.

Bill 207 calling for a well-funded, accountable provincial organ donation agency is timely and represents a solution that has worked well in other provinces.

THE SOLUTION:

Build a Bridge:  We already know that transplantation provides a medical solution for many.  What we need is to build an institutional bridge between the Albertans who support organ donation with the people who need one.  This can be accomplished through the Government by:

1. Establish a Provincial Agency to coordinate, promote and educate on the issue of organ donation:  Alberta does not yet have a central provincial agency to manage organ donation.  Ontario, for example, created the Trillium Gift of Life Foundation and last year recorded a 12% increase in donation, due in large part to the efforts of the Foundation.


2. Establish an ongoing public awareness campaign:   Alberta's rates of donation have dropped from 17/million a decade ago to less than half of that, due in part to the lack of a sustained public awareness campaign.  The first time a family considers organ donation should not be in the middle of a traumatic death - it should be part of regular life planning that individuals discuss with their families and make their wishes known ahead of time.


3. Establish an electronic registry:   Once an individual makes the decision to be willing to be a donor, an electronic registry makes the collection and dissemination of that information much more efficient and available in a timely manner.   Additionally, when the time comes that families are asked for consent, they can be asked if they wish to honour their loved ones wishes, removing from them the emotional burden of decision making.   

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Use Your Voice!  One voice joined together with many makes the difference – ACT QUICKLY.   Email the Minister of Health Fred Horne and Premier Alison Redford to tell them you support Bill 207: (Suggested text – Every 5 days an Albertan dies waiting for a life saving “gift of Life” organ transplant.  I ask the Government to adopt the provisions of Bill 207 and fully implement the Bill as quickly as possible)
• Contact your local MLA and urge them to support the implementation of Bill 207
• Like the Facebook page: Support Alberta Organ Donation ; ask your friends to join you in action
• Contact your local media outlet/write Letter to Editor
• Forward this article on to friends and family and ask that they join you in action

Tipping Point

It's so close.  We know what the challenges are.  We know what the solutions are.  We have the attention of the Legislature.  We just need your support to make sure the Government acts quickly to fully implement Bill 207.

Update - Website

GoodHearts Facebook Page reaches 30 Likes

Facebook likes according to city 

Over the past year we here at the GoodHearts Foundation have been working to update our web presence, including this brand new website, a page over at Facebook and a Twitter account. In a recent article in our newsletter (and posted to this website) we outlined some of the steps we had taken to improve our website, and asked everyone to take some time to visit us online.

I'm happy to announce our Facebook page has recently reached 30 likes. This allows us to access statistics on visitors to our page. I've posted a few graphics illustrating who likes our Facebook page according to where they live, gender and age.




Facebook likes according to Gender and age



Visitors to our website
according to country

Thank you to everyone who has found and liked us on Facebook.  If you belive in GoodHearts please pass along our website and Facebook page so others can join.

Our new website is hosted by blogger who have always offered visitor statistics as part of the service. So for a bit of added interest, I've added a map of visitors to this website according to country.

Note:  Please click any of the graphs to view the larger version.

Update - Programs and Website

Program spending rises; website gets revamped

There are many aspects to organ transplants, a U of A Hospital cardiologist said, and GoodHearts is addressing some of the more practical needs.

The practical needs include temporary housing for transplant patients who must move to Edmonton, food and gas cards, MedicAlert bracelets, a YMCA membership subsidy, the Dr. Dennis Modry Bursary for post-secondary studies, as well as organ and tissue donor awareness.

In 2012, for instance, GoodHearts allocated more than $42,000 to its “practical” programs. Funds spent on food and gas cards totaled $13,195 — triple the amount given to the transplant social workers in 2009, the year the gift card project was started.

All programs supported by GoodHearts are outlined on the website — www.goodhearts.ca — which was recently revamped by Jennipher Card.

GoodHearts on Twitter

Jenn is looking for volunteers to keep the website current and informative.   “The new website does not require any special software to update, so anyone with a blogger account can be an administrator,” said the webmaster.  Some training is required, she said, but it’s minimal.

When updating the site, Jenn also added the GoodHearts Facebook and GoodHearts Twitter pages.  Members are asked to check out these new features, especially Facebook.   “We require 30 ‘Likes’ to access the statistics on visitors to our new site. So I ask that every member with a Facebook account check this out and to ‘like’ our page,” urged the communications director.

The GoodHearts website had 257 visitors in December, and the page with the most hits was “About Us,” Jenn told the board members at the January meeting.

Update - Transplant Housing

Two transplant suites in high demand

Transplant patients, caregivers and University of Alberta Hospital transplant social workers started calling about the GoodHearts apartments soon after the 2009 transplant housing fund-raising dinner.

Since the door was opened to our first furnished apartment — Kaelyn’s Place — in July 2011, GoodHearts has received more than 60 phone calls and e-mails. Some inquiries came from as far as Nova Scotia. The bulk of the calls were made after we moved to the Galen Lofts and opened the second apartment.

The furnished one-bedroom suites are located across the street from the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute.

Fourteen transplant patients and their caregivers have stayed at our apartments so far. The average stay is three months. Each suite is empty only as long as it takes to get it ready for the next transplant patient.

The application process to stay at the GoodHearts suites is simple and starts with a phone call — 780.916.5026 or e-mail info@goodhearts.ca — to GoodHearts.

No reservations are taken, but the GoodHearts volunteer records the call or e-mail. And when a suite becomes available the patient or caregiver who made the initial inquiry is called back.

The volunteer also stays in touch with the transplant social workers, because they know who is in need of temporary housing.

Patients pay $900 a month, that’s less than 50 per cent of the actual rental cost for each suite. GoodHearts subsidizes the balance. A damage deposit of $450 is required. The rent is pro-rated so anyone staying fewer than 30 days in a month is charged a daily rate of $30.

To date, the damage deposit has been returned in full to each tenant.

The single-bedroom suites include a queen-size bed, a pull-out sofa, television, internet, dishes, pots, pans, and bedding.

Parking is not included in the rent, but Galen Lofts residents can check with the leasing office for underground stalls at the Windsor Park Plaza.

Each suite also contains a folding walker, a shower seat, raised toilet seat, digital weigh scale, and bathtub hand grip. Transplant patients may require these items, and past tenants suggested they be provided.

After consulting with U of A Hospital transplant physiotherapists, co-ordinators, and occupational therapists, we contacted Homecare Surgical, and the company provided the items either free or at cost.

When booking the furnished suites, the GoodHearts volunteer looking after the apartments meets with the prospective tenant. He or she is informed about the rent payment, damage deposit, the check-in and check-out process, and how the Galen Lofts leasing office fits into the transplant housing process.

The move to the Galen Lofts has many benefits for patients as well as GoodHearts:

• Patients can walk across the street to attend the clinics or physiotherapy sessions;
• Caregivers can walk rather than drive from the apartment to the hospital;
• Parking costs for daily hospital visit have been eliminated;
• Patients no longer have to fill out the GoodHearts application and legal forms;
• The Westcorp leasing office handles all the legal paperwork for renting the suites;
• The leasing staff handles the walkthrough for checks-ins and checks-outs;
• Tenants call the leasing office in case of non-medical emergencies;
• Galen Lofts staff checks the apartments for cleanliness before a new tenant moves in.

To view more photos of the furnished suites view our Transplant Housing at Galen Lofts photo album on our Facebook page.

To have the transplant housing project function well and keep costs as low as possible, GoodHearts needs volunteers — preferably organ recipients.

The volunteer is required to handle the rental inquiries, maintains contact with the transplant social workers, the Westcorp leasing office, and most important, meet and stay in touch with the tenants staying in the suites. If you are interested in volunteering please contact us.

2nd GoodHearts Casino

Casino Volunteers needed for April 1 & 2

The second GoodHearts casino dates are April 1 and 2.  The event will be held at Casino Edmonton, which is located at 7055 Argyll Road.

GoodHearts needs 38 volunteers — 19 workers to cover three shifts per day:

• the first is from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.;
• the second is 6:15 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.;
• the count room hours are 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Meals and snacks are provided for all volunteers. GoodHearts also covers the costs of public transportation, and babysitting. If these are required, please call the casino chairperson well in advance. Silvio can be reached at 780.916.5026.

We still need 19 volunteers to fill the following positions:

• general manager
• banker
• cashiers
• chip runners
• count room workers

Each volunteer must fill out a Casino Volunteer Workers Application. This form was e-mailed to GoodHearts members with instructions how to fill it out and return it to Silvio. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission requires that the key position be be filed by Feb. 1. This has been done.

The last deadline to file volunteer applications is March 10.

GoodHearts volunteers raised $75,000 with our first casino in 2011. The casino in April is expected to raise another $75,000. Casino funds cover the costs to operate two apartments.

2nd Chance Trail Ride - Forms & Info

Information provided to the GoodHearts Foundation by the Second Annual 2nd Chance Trail Ride:

Event Information

Ride day – Saturday May 11th, 2013
Location – Lindbergh to Heinsburg
on the Iron Horse Trail
$30 per rider -or- horse & wagon (You must bring your own horse and wagon)

Supper

$15/Adult for supper
$10/Child for supper
Silent and live auctions
Live music - Don Bouvette & his band

Come ride with us on our second annual 2nd Chance Trail Ride in support of organ donation awareness.  The ride will be a slow pleasure ride of approximately 5 hours through natural lands.

Morris driving a team of horses at last year's ride

Collect your money and record your pledges on the pledge form available for download below. Cheques should be written to GoodHearts Foundation if an official tax receipt is required. When you arrive on May 11th please have your donations collected and your pledge sheet balanced. We recommend you make a photocopy of your pledges for future reference or if there are any problems. You are encouraged to have your sponsorship in cheque payments to minimize work and reduce the chance of theft. Please fill out a separate registration form for each rider including children. This way we can keep track of all riders. A “Participant Waiver” must be signed for each rider. Registration forms and waiver forms will be available at Ride Registration.

Money raised will be donated to GoodHearts.

Schedule

6pm – 9pm  Early registration on site, Friday May 10th
8:30am – 10am  Registration, Saturday May 11th
11:00am  Ride starts
5:30pm  Supper
7:00pm  Presentation from University of Alberta Transplant Team
8:00pm  Live and Silent Auction
9:00pm  Don Bouvette Country Band

(times may change)

Additional Information

• Overnight camping is also available in Heinsburg for $10.00 a night.
• Bring your own lunch and water/juice.
• Bring a halter to tie your horse.
• Hall will be open during the day and silent auction items will be set up.  Enter your bid on the silent auction items.

Forms & Information to Download

• Information Sheet (pdf)
• Rider's Pledge Sheet (pdf)
• Lindbergh Trail Map (pdf)

Further Information

• Alberta's Iron Horse Trail website
• 2nd Chance Trail Ride facebook page
• Read about Morris Irvine's personal journey and the 2nd Chance Trail Ride on our website
• Watch Morris and his wife discuss Organ Donation Awareness and the 2nd Annual 2nd Chance Trail Ride on Around the Region on CKSA-Lloydminster (YouTube video)

2nd Chance Trail Ride

Lung recipient rallies friends to ride for transplant cause



Lung recipients Dianne and Morris


Morris Irvine was on oxygen for three years.

Yet when doctors suggested he consider a lung transplant, the Lindbergh resident was not convinced he wanted to undergo the surgery.

“Only after I met and spoke to some lung recipients did I decide to go for it,” said the 65-year-old father of six, grandfather of 23 and great-grandfather of three.

The recipients’ positive attitude to getting a second chance to live impressed him, as did their healthy appearance so he opted to be listed for a transplant at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada’s biggest and busiest transplant centre.

Moe had a double-lung transplant in March 2011 — nine months after he was listed.

“There were five of us who were transplanted about the same time, and we have stayed in touch,” he recalled recently.

Grateful about the outcome, Moe, his family and the handful of lung recipients, including Tom Matthews, Diane Brown, Harvey Nelson and Judy Laws, soon started looking for ways to say “thank you” to the donor families and the transplant staff.

 “Most of us live in the country and have horses, so organizing a trail ride made sense,” said Moe.

They formed the 2nd Chance Trail Ride and in May 2012 put on their first fund-raising event.

“The response from friends and other recipients was amazing,” said Arla Pirtle, one of the ride’s organizers and Moe’s daughter.  “We raised about $25,000 for the Canadian Transplant Games, as well as raising organ and tissue donor awareness,” said Arla.

The latter is especially important because the organ and tissue donor rate in Alberta has fallen so dramatically that is the lowest in Canada.

Morris out riding pre-lung transplant

“The ride was great fun and the response from the rural community was overwhelming,” she said.

This year, the 2nd Chance Trail Ride is raising funds for the GoodHearts Foundation, she said.

“My parents and the committee responsible for the 2nd Chance Trail Ride appreciate the financial help GoodHearts gives transplant patients, especially in providing furnished apartments so close to the hospital.”

 “My dad and mom hope we can raise enough money to open another apartment,” she said.

About 100 riders are expected to participate in the May 11 event. Riders provide their own horses, but people also can ride in horse-drawn wagons. The wagons carry up to 14 people. Last year seven wagons took part in the ride. The ride from Lindbergh to Heinsburg along the Iron Horse Trail takes about 5 hours.

Riders can register either on the morning of May 11 from 8:30 to 10, or the night before from 6 to 9. Overnight camping is available in Heinsburg.

The riders will set off at 11 a.m. on May 11, and will stop along the way for lunch. Participants have to bring their own lunch.

A supper as well as silent and live auctions are part of the 2nd Chance Trail Ride. Nashville recording artist Don Bouvette and his band will provide the entertainment.

For the full schedule and pledge forms, please see our 2nd Chance Trail Ride - Info & Forms post or the 2nd Chance Trail Ride Facebook page.

GoodHearts in 2012 - A Recap

As we begin a new year it is a good time to reflect back on the past year.  Here is a quick list of some the changes, challenges and accomplishments of 2012:

Directors Silvio and Maggie at our AGM

Board of Directors

• Linda Figgures, Sister Patricia and Ron Kube retired from the board. We thank them for their many hours and hours of service to our organization.
• Returning board members were Silvio Dobri, Jenn Card and Jackie Foord.
• Maggie Baczynski, Barb Foxall, Josh Eberhart and Helen Klimo joined our board.
• We said goodbye to board member and dear friend Kevin Fankhanel who passed away this year.

Events

One of our suites at the Galan Lofts

• AGM - Our Annual General Meeting was held in September. Our president Jackie summarized what the GoodHearts had been up to in 2012 and Jeff Simpson presented on insurance to the membership.  Visit our Facebook page for photos of the event or to view Jeff's insurance presentation.
• GoodHearts Dinner - Our annual dinner was held in October at the Mayfield Inn and was a great success. At the dinner the first Modry Bursary was presented to Ashley Peregrym, testimonials were read from Liz & Bob and Faith, and a presentation was given explaining our transplant housing at the Galen Lofts. Visit our Facebook page to view photos of the dinner or to view the Transplant Housing at the Galen Lofts presentation.

GoodHearts Online

• We continued publishing our newsletter.  Visit our Newsletter Archive to read newsletter from 2012 and past years.
• We started this blog in September as well as creating a Facebook page and twitter account.

Thanks for your attention and support this year! Here's to a productive 2013.