London, Ont. - New Canvas of Life: the Art of Transplantation was held at Aeolian Hall, from April 14 to April 29. A fundraising and awareness event for organ donation and transplant, the art show raised more than $11,000 for London Health Sciences Centre's world-leading Multi-Organ Transplant Program by auctioning off the art on display.

The opening night reception and event catalogue highlighted the diverse art offered through Timewell Auctions including: photography, sculpture, mixed media, stained glass, wearable art, printed works and paintings. The public was able to take in the art show at the Aeolian during the week and bid for the art online. Transplant recipients, transplant staff, living donors, local artists and some Canadian celebrities - including Chris Hadfield, Royal Wood, David Foster, Cindy and Don Cherry, RUSH, and others - contributed their artistic talents to the show.

"In Southwestern Ontario, we're fortunate to have one of the highest donation rates in all of Canada - comparable to the top countries in the world," says one of the event organizers, transplant surgeon Dr. Patrick Luke. "Part of that is due to the involvement of our community in events like this, which encourage important conversations with family about donation wishes and that bring awareness to the importance of registering consent online at beadonor.ca/lhsc."

The Multi-Organ Transplant Program at LHSC is one of the leading transplant programs in Canada, performing about 160 transplants annually. More than 5,000 Canadians have received transplants, including heart, kidney, kidney-pancreas, liver, and multi-organ transplantation, at University Hospital and at Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre.

There are plans for another art show and auction in April 2016. Further updates will be available atwww.lhsc.on.ca/artshow.