Humboldt Broncos’ Boulet inspiring thousands of Canadians to become organ donors

Logan Boulet's parents, Toby and Bernadine Boulet, are spreading the message of how their son's decision helped the lives of others, and how he has inspired hundreds of thousands of Canadians to become organ donors.

The first annual Green Shirt Day, in partnership with Canada's Organ Donation Community is being held Sunday, April 7.

Canadian Transplant Association President Brenda Brown says nothing like the Logan Boulet Effect has been seen before in Canadian history. 

“We wanted to be able to recognize and honour his contribution,” said Brown. “We thought a Green Shirt Day would be a good way to recognize that and hopefully get Canadians thinking about registering their wishes for registering to become organ donors. The Boulets thought that was a good idea, they were behind the concept and decided they would support it.”

Support for organ donation in Canada is at roughly 90 per cent, but only 23 per cent of Canadians are registered organ donors. 

Brown thinks that raising more awareness will hopefully raise this low percentage.

“I think it's because people don't actually think about going and doing it,” she said. “We think we're invincible, that we're not going to pass away early or young, maybe that our organs are not going to be wanted or desired until we get too old.”

Brown thinks people can be somewhat lazy or that the concept of organ donation is something that is not discussed by families. 

“I think it's one of those things we need to take more seriously and become more proactive about,” she explained. 

Brown hopes that Green Shirt Day will inspire people and bring more awareness to the need for registered organ donors. She says that she would like to see more than a hundred thousand new donors register through the months of April and May. 

“There's over 200 people dying in this country waiting for organs every year,” said Brown. 

Click here to find out how to become an organ and tissue donor in Ontario.