It’s officially been 10 years of hosting the Sunny 94 Bionic Golf Tournament for Murray McRae,  and this year was not without its challenges. Many changes had to be made to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“With all of the restrictions that we had that day we were kind of worried about how we were going to do financially, but the way things turned out that day, people were very generous. We had a terrific day.  We ended up raising more money this year than we did last year for the cause,” said McRae, an organizer of the event.

The tournament raised over $6,000 for the Human Organ Procurement and Exchange (HOPE)  an arm of the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation.

McRae has received several cornea transplants since the age of 22 and says his transplants were necessary to enhance his life so that he could have his vision and work. For him, his work with the tournament has always been close to his heart.

“It’s become a personal mission to try to do something to give back for all of the gifts that I've been given in the area of transplants when we started the tournament,” said McRae.

He has a great respect for the University of Alberta Hospital and says they have done an amazing job with his procedures.

Additionally, Murray hopes the tournament inspires people to sign their donor cards. A single signed donor card can save up to 80 lives.

“It doesn't mean that people are going to come knocking at your door looking for your eyes. It means that there is going to be a registry of people out there who are able to contribute should the need arise and they no longer have the use of their organs and tissue,” explained McRae.

You can sign up for organ donation by renewing your license, or online. For more information on Organ and Tissue donation in Alberta, click here.