BC Transplant shares popcorn, appreciation for Peace Arch Hospital staff

BC Transplant shares popcorn, appreciation for Peace Arch Hospital staff

Published 1:30 pm Tuesday, December 9, 2025

BC Transplant volunteers visited White Rock Thursday to give personal thanks — and popcorn — to local health care teams who make organ donation and transplant possible.

A team visited Peace Arch Hospital Thursday (Dec.4) to gift boxes filled with popcorn and other treats to staff members for a holiday initiative called ‘Operation Popcorn’, an annual event BC Transplant holds across the province.

Many staff in B.C. hospitals look forward to this time of year, as it kicks off their holiday season, a BCT release noted. More than 75 transplant recipients, living donors and families of deceased donors drop off popcorn and share their stories directly with health care staff.

This year, BC Transplant delivered more than 5,000 packages of popcorn to intensive care units, emergency departments, operating rooms, transplant units, transplant clinics and transplant pharmacies across B.C.

In White Rock, three boxes were distributed to Peace Arch Hospital’s nursing, operating room and intensive care unit staff members.

“We are here to say thank you to the staff for the hard work they do,” BC Transplant in-hospital coordinator Bobbi Paquette told staff members at the hospital Thursday.

Paquette did not travel alone on her visit to the hospital; two volunteers who were transplant recipients joined her endeavors on this ‘Operation Popcorn’ run.

Kidney recipient Vicki Ellestad and liver recipient Earl Howell joined Paquette at Peace Arch Hospital and delivered the gifts along with their stories, showcasing what happens after one receives a transplant — and the story beyond.

Ellestad, who has volunteered with BC Transplant for 11.5 years, told the three teams who received the boxes of popcorn that her future would have been drastically different if it were not for them.

“I want to thank you guys,” said Ellestad before sharing her story. “I was healthy all my life until I wasn’t.”

Ellestad explained that 12 years ago, a stranger gave her a kidney, and it has now allowed her to watch her grandkids grow up and be involved in their lives.

“All of this was because I was lucky enough to get a transplant.”

When asked if she still is in any way contact with her donor, she responded enthusiastically with a “yes.” Ellestad said that for the past 12 years, every month on the 12th day (of the month), they connect for a type of ‘monthiversary.’

Howell also shared his story with the teams, and held a similar sentiment to Ellestad about being able to watch his children and grandchildren grow up, as well as being able to be active in their lives.

He received a liver transplant 28 years ago to this month.

Once finished with their stories, the boxes were handed out by Ellestad and Howell.

“This is the highlight of my Christmas time, coming to say thank you for all your work,” said Howell.

“I don’t think I can possibly do what you guys do,” Ellestad informed the nurses, OR and ICU staff members.

Paquette shared that most of these hospital workers do not get to see what is next for these individuals once they leave the hospital, and moments like these show them the positive outcomes of what their work achieves.

She noted there are currently 6,500 transplant recipients in B.C. who are alive today.

“For all of us, Operation Popcorn is a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of organ donation,” BC Transplant executive direct Eric Lun said in the release.

The adoption of Bill C-210 in 2021 — which allows the Canada Revenue Agency to add a question to income tax if people wish to receive information about organ donation by email from their provincial or territorial government — means that by consenting, the CRA can share the taxpayer’s contact information with the province or territory exclusively for this purpose, the release continued.

BC Transplant says that they’ve received more than a million positive responses on this past spring’s tax return forms and now, BCT is reminding people to check their inboxes for an email regarding organ donation and click on the link to register their decision.

As of Nov. 6, there are 1,617,709 British Columbians with a registered decision in the Organ Donor Registry.

For more information about BC Transplant, visit their website at transplant.bc.ca