Stories

Thanks to the generosity of an organ donor and their family, Dylan received a life-saving heart transplant.

Her Last Project is the extraordinary story of Dr. Shelly Sarwal, a physician from Halifax. Diagnosed with the incurable disorder multiple system atrophy, Sarwal chose to receive medical assistance in dying (MAID), legalized in 2016, and become an organ donor.

As the first person in Nova Scotia to undergo this often complicated medical journey, she dedicated the short time she had left to educating health professionals and the general public about being in control of your death and creating a meaningful legacy through organ donation.

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.

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.

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.

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.