Lakeridge Health donation awards are recognizing the Durham hospital system’s work after nine organ donors helped save 27 lives during 2025/2026.
In a release datelined November 10, Lakeridge Health says those donors provided 31 organs for transplant. A further 88 tissue donors helped improve the lives of other recipients.
The hospital system has received the Provincial Eligible Approach Rate Award and the Award of Excellence from Trillium Gift of Life Network. The recognition concerns the 2025/2026 period, not the previous year’s donation results.
Every eligible family offered a conversation
The Provincial Eligible Approach Rate Award recognizes the hospital system for ensuring that families or substitute decision-makers were offered a conversation about organ donation in every eligible case.
That produced a 100 per cent eligible approach rate, above the provincial target of 90 per cent. This is the sixth time Lakeridge Health has received the award.
The approach rate measures whether a donation conversation was offered. It is not a claim that every family agreed to donation or that every patient could become a donor.
Third Award of Excellence
Lakeridge Health says it will receive the Award of Excellence for the third time. That honour recognizes hospitals that meet or exceed the provincial eligible approach rate target for at least four consecutive years while demonstrating leading donation practices.
Chief of Staff Dr. Randy Wax credited donors and their families, along with staff who consistently consider donation as part of end-of-life care. President and CEO Cynthia Davis also emphasized that the reported totals represent people whose lives were saved or changed through the decisions of donors and families.
Across Ontario in 2025/2026, hospitals supported 372 organ donors, providing life-saving transplants to 965 people, the release says. Another 1,965 tissue donors helped improve other recipients’ lives.
Lakeridge Health serves Durham through five hospitals and other community locations. Its announcement directs residents interested in registering their consent to organ and tissue donation to BeADonor.ca.
