DP World recently partnered with The Kidney Foundation of Canada to turn a Vancouver Canucks game into a platform for purpose: hosting living organ donors in its corporate suite to raise awareness of the lifesaving impact of organ donation.
The event brought together 10 living donors as part of the Living Donor Circle of Excellence program, celebrating them and amplifying their stories beyond the healthcare setting. Attendees were recognized in-arena, including with a Jumbotron feature, while Kidney Foundation representatives engaged fans at the Canucks Community Corner to further raise awareness.
The evening marked the first time the Living Donor Circle of Excellence program was spotlighted at a Vancouver Canucks game, made possible through DP World’s support.
Adding a personal dimension to the evening, DP World’s Vancouver Senior Terminal Manager, Dan Cooke — a liver transplant recipient — hosted the suite, offering a meaningful reminder of the real lives connected to every act of donation.
“Having the opportunity to spend the evening surrounded by living donors was both humbling and very meaningful for me. The gift of organ donations saves lives every day, including mine. Having DP World join the Circle of Excellence is another great example of good that we can all do for our people and community,” said Cooke.
Dr. John Gill, nephrologist and founder of the Living Donor Circle of Excellence program, said: “We’re here tonight to celebrate living organ donors and to recognize the importance of removing barriers so more people can give this life-saving gift. Supporting donors is how we make more transplants possible.”
From Awareness to Action
The Living Donor Circle of Excellence program, delivered in partnership with The Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplantation, recognizes employers that are helping remove barriers to living organ donation.
A key challenge for potential donors is financial: time away from work and lost wages during recovery can delay or prevent donation altogether. Members of the program commit to addressing this by providing at least 80% wage replacement during the recovery period.
In 2025, DP World joined the program, ensuring that employees who choose to become living organ donors continue to receive wages and benefits during their recovery.
Doug Smith, CEO of DP World in Canada, said: “Supporting our people means removing barriers when they choose to do something extraordinary. By ensuring employees can become living organ donors without financial strain, we’re not only investing in their wellbeing — we’re helping make more lifesaving transplants possible.”
Today, more than 220 employers across Canada and the United States participate, collectively supporting approximately 2.9 million employees.
A Growing Need and Opportunity to Act
The urgency behind these efforts is clear. The need for organs continues to outpace availability, with wait times for a deceased donor often averaging three to four years or longer. These delays can seriously impact a patient’s health, sometimes making them too sick for a transplant — tragically, some people die while waiting. In contrast, living donor transplants offer a highly successful alternative, with much shorter wait times and better long-term outcomes for the transplanted organ.
Advancing a Culture of Support
For many people living with kidney disease, a transplant offers the best possible path to improved health and quality of life, but access depends on both awareness and support.
By combining community engagement with employee-first policies, DP World is helping address both sides of that equation.
DP World’s efforts demonstrate how companies can use their platforms not only to raise visibility, but to actively support the people behind these extraordinary decisions —bridging awareness with action in ways that can ultimately help save more lives.
