Raising awareness that one small sticker could save the lives of community members, provincial monuments are doing their part.

Since 1997, the week of April 21-27 has been named National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week in Canada. Taking part in that week is the Light it Green event, which occurred yesterday.

During Light it Green day provincial landmarks such as the CN Tower, Regina City Hall, and other points of architectural pride raise awareness for organ donation.

As a new program supporting those who may lose their lives due to a lack of organ donation began this year, hope is building for those in waiting for their lives to be saved.

The new program comes in the form of a donor registry, which is being implemented as part of $600,000 the Government of Saskatchewan given out this year.

Sammy Khalife is one such Saskatchewan resident who is in need of a life-saving transplant. He is affected by Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, and is in need of a new heart.

His current heart only provides 25 per cent of the blood flow of a healthy heart.

Khalife said that while awareness is essential, the infrastructure needed to streamline organ donation is required.

He recently spoke with MP David Anderson and MLA Everet Hindley to try and move the needle on the issue.

"I know that Mr. Hindly spoke with our Health Minister Jim [Reiter] and talked about organ donation, and the steps that are needed."

Khalife said that Reiter then talked with the Nova Scotia's Health Minister Randy Delorey who advocated, and helped introduce opt-out organ donation in the province which has been met with mixed reactions.

"There are a lot of things happening in the province with organ donations, and how they go about it, and we're excited to be a part of it."

Changes are expected to be coming to the system of harvesting organs, said Khalife, hoping to save more lives.

"The next budget will include something towards training the doctors and nurses, like a budget to deal with more of organ harvesting."

Around two per cent of actual organ donors end up having their organs donated, due to things like the distance between hospitals creating delays, not being able to transplant at hospitals, as well as the next of kin of a deceased family member vetoing the choice.

While those numbers may be slim, adding things like opt-out organ donation and better infrastructure for organ donation, will make a significant change.

"We are seeing some changes, we are supporting those changes, and we are in close talks with our government and our health region to implement those changes."

The City of Swift Current recently enacted Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, hoping to get more people in the know about the donation process.