We run donor recruitment campaigns in partnership with LGBTQ groups to overcome barriers and engage LGBTQ peoples in donation. These efforts improve the chance that patients will have access to the donation products they need to save their lives. We train healthcare professionals and students to recognize and address structural barriers to donation impacting LGBTQ communities.
Our work helps advance a more inclusive transfusion and transplantation system for LGBTQ patients, donors, and families. We advocate for health equity in donation policies, dismantle structural barriers, and share our approaches with LGBTQ communities, healthcare organizations, and the medical and scientific communities to address inequities in donation and adopt inclusive practices. Our organization is led by LGBTQ advocates and partners with LGBTQ peoples and groups to advance equity and inclusion in donation.
Dr. Warren B. Fingrut (he/him) is a Hematologist and Transplant Physician who works to improve access to safe and effective healthcare for both patients and donors. He received his Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Fingrut is the Founder of Saving Lives with Pride, an initiative dedicated to promoting LGBTQ inclusion in blood and stem cell donation. He is also the Founder and Director of Stem Cell Club, a Canadian non-profit that has recruited over 25,000 potential stem cell donors, prioritizing recruitment of underrepresented and needed donor populations. Through Saving Lives with Pride, Dr. Fingrut leads efforts to engage LGBTQ individuals to donation, to increase the opportunities for people from all backgrounds to sign up to save the lives of patients in need.
Shiva Ivaturi (he/him) is a medical student at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and a national leader in equitable stem cell donor recruitment. As National Lead for Saving Lives with Pride, he oversees donor recruitment events across Canada and advances LGBTQ inclusion in transplantation. He collaborates with advocacy groups, healthcare institutions, and volunteers to remove barriers to donor registration.
We collaborate with leading healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, and community partners to break down barriers in donation. Together, we are creating a more inclusive and equitable transfusion and transplantation system for LGBTQ individuals.
