Have you ever thought about how it would feel to save someone’s life? The opportunity to give someone a chance at a normal life simply because you can? Heather Badenoch knows exactly how this feels.
In 2016, Badenoch read a newspaper story about a young girl who needed a liver and made the decision immediately to be a living organ donor. Because of extensive physical and psychological evaluations, this process took some time, and the girl found another donor, but Badenoch asked to stay on the list.
In 2018, she donated 22 per cent of the left lobe of her liver to another match who was a complete stranger. “I have no idea who the recipient was, other that it was a child, and that’s fine”, said Badenoch.
“It’s absolutely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, to be a part of saving someone’s life is an incredible feeling. There’s an emotional joy that can’t be described in words.”
When Kevin Roach found out his aunt JoAnn needed a living liver donor and was told he was a potential match, he started researching and learned that what most people don’t know is that the liver regenerates itself.
Up to 75% of the liver can be removed to donate and the remaining portion will grow back to 98% of its original size and function normally. He also was reassured the procedure would have no long-term effects on him, only temporary pain, mostly from the surgical incisions.
When it was confirmed he was a perfect match, he traveled to the University of Alberta Medical Centre for final screening and surgery. Although there were complications with the surgery, his aunt pulled through and she recently celebrated her 10 year ‘Liversary.’
‘I want to share my experience and hopefully encourage everyone to become organ donors. I cannot express strongly enough how vitally important it is to sign your driver’s license donor card and take the next step and register at www.beadonor.ca.’
- Kevin Roach
Little Emma was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare liver disorder, when she was 6 weeks old. She is now 5 months old and will require a liver transplant in the next 6 months.
“Having a living donor, instead of waiting for a deceased donor, will help avoid a long wait and allow a transplant to be completed before Emma gets sicker,” said Emma’s mom Megan.
If you are interested in learning more about how to become a donor, the first step is to see if you are a potential candidate.
In Emma’s case, you can contact Donor Coordinator, Michelle at 1-780-407-6533 or toll free at 1-866-253-6833 for more information and to begin screening.
The initial testing/assessment can take place in your home community and will progress from there.There is funding available for travel, accommodation, food, time off work, etc. if you are found to be a potential candidate.
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), new data shows that living donor volumes in 2022 showed 576 in 2022 compared with 614 in 2019, an increase of 18% since 2020 but a slight decrease of 3% since 2021.Despite the improvements since the pandemic, 3,777 Canadians were waiting for a solid organ transplant as of December 31, 2022: 73% were waiting for a kidney, 13% for a liver, 6% for a lung, 3% for a heart, 3% for a pancreas and 2% for a combination of organs.
