Stories

Stephanie Jolink was only ten years old when she was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and faced years of dialysis to keep her kidneys working. She was active in dance, swimming, horseback riding and skating, and a thriving student who loved hanging out with her friends. Several days a week on dialysis at the hospital meant she had to miss a lot of school and social time, and swimming wasn’t possible anymore due to the central line to her heart. Then she learned she needed a new kidney.

Everad was diagnosed with heart failure when he was 13. This diagnosis turned a once active life upside down. No more competitive soccer, an array of meds along with their side effects and eventually, in 2010, after suffering a heart attack he had a defibrillator put in his chest.

Shak is a living kidney donor and Gurjit is a kidney transplant recipient. As Shak was not a direct match for Gurjit, the transplant was facilitated through the Kidney Paired Donation program. Shak and Gurjit are married and since their donation and transplant, they have grown their family and now have a young son named Kasen. 

This powerful film was made to honour a young girl who died waiting for a heart transplant and to bring awareness to organ and tissue donation. Twelve-year-old Justina Lo Cane suffered from heart disease. After waiting four months for a heart, she passed away in November of 2017, spurring Argentina to pass “Justina’s Law” in July of 2018. Under this law, all citizens over the age of 18 would have to opt-out of donating their organs and tissue after death.

Logan Boulet made the decision to be an organ donor just weeks before his passing in the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash in April 2018. Logan was inspired to register his decision to donate by his coach and mentor, Ric Suggit, who had died in 2017, and was an organ donor. After registering his decision to become an organ donor, Logan took the wise and necessary step of sharing his decision with his parents.

Pat Loder tells the story of her family's decision to donate their son Jeff's organs after he tragically passed away in 2016. She encourages everyone to save a life and become an organ donor.

Duc knows what it’s like to wait. For three years, he’s been waiting for a kidney transplant – his second. Although advances are extending the life of transplanted organs, transplant failures remain. Failures are a significant hurdle for people like Duc, who must go back on the wait list and dialysis when their transplant fails. Duc’s wife and some of his relatives have been tested to determine if they are eligible to donate a kidney to him, but unfortunately, no one is a match.

Julianne was just a baby when her parents were informed that she needed a heart transplant. Julianne’s family are forever thankful to the other family who decided to make the decision to donate their loved ones’ organs. Their choice not only impacted their daughter, but their family as a whole.

Cyndi decided to be a living kidney donor because it was something she felt she needed to do to impact someone else’s life. She was resolved to take the same spirit that would motivate her to donate to a friend or family member to inspire her to donate to a stranger. Her decision positively impacted the life of someone else.

Jamie was diagnosed with Lymphoma as a child. As a result of the amount of chemotherapy he received, his heart was damaged. At the age of fourteen, he was added to the heart transplant list. He was twenty one when he received his transplant. Because of a donor, he is able to dream of the future.

Graeme received his first kidney from his mother. Then, when he was in grade 10, he found out that he would not only need another kidney transplant but also a liver transplant. He was saved because someone chose to donate their organs.

Josh fractured his skull while skateboarding. Following the news of the lack of brain activity, Josh’s family was approached to donate his organs. Josh had expressed his desire to his brother to be an organ donor. Through his donation, Josh inspired youth from his community to sign-up as organ donors.

Randeep was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. He was on dialysis for a year, and reached out to his community with hopes of finding a living donor. As a result of his public plea, a donor came forward to donate. This person provided him with a second life.

Several years ago, when three-year-old Mackenzy passed away due to a severe head injury, her parents donated her organs, and their generous gift saved four lives. The family hopes more Canadians will register their decision to donate and speak to their loved ones about their wishes.