The Kidney Foundation recently launched a Living Donor Mentor Program with the hopes that this initiative will help increase the number of living kidney donors in B.C.
Right now in B.C. the demand for organ transplants is far greater than the supply. There are over 530 people on the wait list for a kidney transplant and thousands more being worked up to go on the wait list. Sadly, many of these people will die waiting for their transplant. So far this year, there have been 47 living kidney donor transplants and 122 deceased kidney transplants. (source: BC Transplant)
Increasing organ donation is a priority for The Kidney Foundation given that over 80 per cent of all organ transplants are kidneys.
“If someone has kidney failure, the best hope for their future is most often a kidney transplant, and a living donor kidney transplant is the best option of all,” says Heather Johnson, Director of Programs at The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch.
“In looking at ways to increase living kidney donor rates, we identified a need for people considering being living kidney donors to connect with those who have been through the process for support and information.”
The Kidney Foundation has engaged a group of living kidney donors to be volunteer “mentors” for people considering being a living kidney donor.
These volunteers will be matched with interested potential kidney donors to share their valuable experiences and insights as living kidney donors. To help volunteer mentors prepare for their role, they all receive peer support training.
The first group of volunteers have received a full day of in-person training, including a session with Dr. David Landsberg, who spoke at the training session on behalf of BC Transplant. He is BC Transplant’s Provincial Medical Director, Transplant Services.
“Living kidney donors are heroes. They selflessly give an incredible gift to another who is in need of a life-saving kidney transplant, and now to have a group of living kidney donors gathered together to go even further to support others considering making a decision about living donation –this is fantastic,” said Dr. David Landsberg.
“This new mentoring program is a great way to help potential donors make an informed decision. I enjoyed meeting my first client to share my experience as an unrelated donor and the emotions of being a donor trying to help someone live a better quality of life,” adds Elizabeth Black, living kidney donor and Living Donor Mentor Program volunteer.
Anyone who may be considering being a living kidney donor to a BC or Yukon resident and who is interested in speaking with someone who has been through the experience, should contact The Kidney Foundation about their Living Donor Mentor Program at 1-866-390-PEER (7337).