Tuesday, April 7th is the third annual Green Shirt Day. The day was inspired by hockey player Logan Boulet, who died following the Humboldt Broncos bus crash alongside 15 others in 2018.

On that day Boulet an organ donor helped save the lives of six other people. Because of this his parents Toby and Bernadine Boulet of Lethbridge, other family members and friends started Green Shirt Day to encourage everyone to wear a green shirt, register as an organ donor and discuss their wishes with families.

Last year instead of showing up across the country as an event it went online like most things because of COVID-19, this year is the same but with a couple of additions like a new slogan, “Together Strong” and it hopes to encourage Canadians to unite online and to bring green shirts to online platforms said Tara Murphy a volunteer with the initiative, 

"Obviously 2020 did not work out as well as we hoped but we were able to do a virtual Green Shirt Day and I was really lucky that we connected with some of the cast of Big Brother Canada season eight who helped us put together with a local videographer, Tim Lowing, to put together a Green Shirt Day video and it turned out amazing, so we're really excited for 2021."  

Once again, the day before. April 6th if you have green lights, light them up, wear your green and gold and put those hockey sticks out on the front porch to show support for the lives lost that day and on the 7th wear your green shirt and register to be a donor and talk with your family about those wishes greenshirtday.ca/be-inspired.

This year along with your purchase of a green shirt you can also purchase a mask to help support the cause, get yours HERE.

"With partnership from the Canadian Transplant Association, we have created the latest fad for 2021 which is our facemasks, we've got the together strong community, mask fundraiser."

Murphy goes on to say she encourages you to pick up one of these great masks and wear it every day to keep the conversation going. 

The "Boulet effect" as it's been dubbed, has risen the number of people signing up to be a donor by about 100,000 each year. 

In 2019 Airdrie City Council declared this day would be recognized and City Hall is lit up green so everyone knows, and remembers, the importance of organ donation.

Each organ donor can save the lives of up to eight patients and tissue donors can impact up to 75 lives. There are 4,400 Canadians waiting for an organ transplant. Not everyone can have a living donor. This is why the day is so important to recognize, so Canadians can spread the word about registering and making sure your family is aware of it.

For more information, head to greenshirtday.ca

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