Windsor Regional Hospital has been recognized by the Trillium Gift of Life Network for its efforts in organ and tissue donation last year.
In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, WRH helped save 29 lives through supporting 11 donors who donated 38 organs.
One of those donors was 29-year-old Kevin Johnston Jr., who battled addiction for many years. On March 5, 2025, he was found unresponsive at his home. Paramedics were able to get his heart pumping again, but on March 9, Johnston was taken off life support.
Kevin Johnston Sr. said organ donation was an easy decision when the time came.
"There had to be a reason for us to bring him back, for his heart to start again. There was nothing else in my mind, in my wife's mind, we weren't thinking that we're going to save tons of lives, we're going to do all these wonderful things. It was just, you know what, it's going to help somebody and that was enough for us," said Johnston.
Through the organ donation, five people were saved. Johnston said knowing that has been a silver lining in their grief.
"I was by myself at the time (when he was told), I was doing thing and I just sat in the car and bawled. It was just amazing to think that he saved five lives," said Johnston.
Windsor Regional Hospital was recognized for achieving a higher conversion rate than the provincial target and having a high approach rate. The conversion rate is the percentage of potential organ donors who ultimately become actual donors.
'Organ donation is a very complex process and it requires a great deal of teamwork, compassion, and dedication and it speaks to the culture of donation that we have here at the hospital," said hospital donation physician Dr. Natalie Malus.
WRH had a 65 per cent conversion rate in 2024/2025.
