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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, July 22, 2016 | 6 Enjoy what you have. As we soak in all the best that life has to offer... warm temperatures, lots to do, time to do nothing, if so inclined, sports, gardening and beautiful scenery, we should enjoy every bit of it. There are many who are on a waiting list to do just that. That would be the waiting list for a transplant. In today's edition, on p. 10, you'll nd a story about young Eamon O'Brien, an 11-year-old who is enjoying all that life has to offer because, thanks to a kidney transplant from his mom Lara, he can. Her decision to give up a kidney for her son was done without hesitation. He is her son. His sister Ciara made the same choice. She was seven and not old enough, but she's ready for when her brother does need a transplant in the future. Our world needs more people like Lara and Ciara in order to give others a second chance at the life they realize is so precious. For indeed it does take a village to make a kidney, or other transplant, come to life, so to speak, as the story on p. 11 in today's edition explains. Halton Healthcare recently held an information forum on kidney transplants to give people the facts they need. Our stories, those who spent time with the Oakville Beaver to make the stories come to life on our pages and website (oakvillebeaver.com), and the organizers of awareness events, share a common goal. To boost organ donor awareness, in hopes of encouraging people to donate an organ and to give someone waiting patiently, the hope of a second chance at life. Having gone through the organ donation experience, the O'Brien family is encouraging others to consider becoming a donor. "You never know when you're going to need it," said Lara, speaking about how many more transplants could be done if people signed their donor card. According to beadonor.ca, there's a chronic shortage of organs and tissue available for transplantation, and the need for organs and tissue in Ontario continues to outweigh the availability. "At present, more than 1,600 Ontarians are waiting to receive life-saving organ transplants, and thousands await life-enhancing tissue transplants," the website states. "Every three days, one of them dies while waiting for an organ transplant. One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance as many as 75 through the gift of tissue donation." To learn more about the process, visit beadonor.ca. And to Lara and Ciara, thank you for doing your part. And to Eamon, our young friend with a kidney that works now, good luck in your competition efforts at the Canadian Transplant Games from Aug. 8-13 in Toronto. Go get 'em! The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@ oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Be a donor Editorial "Connected to your Community" 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 54 | Number 59 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER KELLY MONTAGUE DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager LORI ANN GZOVDANOVIC Director of Production MARK DILLS My View MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager T Share your ideas on climate change Aug. 22 John Oliver Oakville MP he scienti c evidence is clear: climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. From increased incidences of droughts, to coastal ooding, to the expanding melt of sea ice in our Arctic, the widespread impacts of climate change compel Canada to take strong action now. The Government of Canada is taking important steps to leave a cleaner, more prosperous world for our children and grandchildren. Canadians understand a strong economy and a clean environment go hand-in-hand. Through the development of clean technologies and innovative climate change strategies, Canada has the opportunity to drive both environmental and economic bene ts, to create jobs and help strengthen Canada's middle class. Now is the time for Canadian companies to capture their share of the emerging global market for clean technology. Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member The Government of Canada supports their efforts, from waste management, to biofuels, to greener solutions for the oil and gas industry. We are making signi cant new investments in green infrastructure and clean technologies, and leading the development of a Canadian Energy Strategy to protect Canada's energy security, encourage energy conversation, and bring cleaner renewable energy into the electricity grid. In addition, the Government of Canada is seeksee MP on p.7 Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Pud by Steve Nease The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.