Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital is raising awareness about the importance of registering to be an organ donor.

Windsor has one of the lowest rates of organ and tissue donation in Ontario. At 18 per cent, Windsor ranks 159th out of 179 Ontario communities, according to the Trillium Gift of Life Network.

Hotel-Dieu is promoting a new documentary on Windsor-Essex residents for whom this issue has immense meaning.

The 10-minute video shares heartbreaking but uplifting stories about local organ transplant survivors, the families of organ and tissue donors, a patient who died waiting for transplants and a toddler on a waiting list for a life-saving donation.

The video was funded by Gunther and Judith Funkenhauser, who raised money for this important mini-documentary through their annual A Day for a Life golf tournament in memory of their late son Trevor Funkenhauser.

Ontario residents interested in organ donation can register online.