Ahead of Organ Donation Awareness month in April, BC Transplant is thanking donors after 481 lives were saved in the province throughout 2024 due to the generosity of 90 living and 118 deceased donors.
By registering as a donor in the province, people can donate organs in the case of their death that then go to people’s health issues.
Alternatively, living donors can offer one of their two kidneys up to someone while still living a full life following the donation.
“Living donors who choose to undergo surgery to save someone’s life, and the deceased donors and their families who make this selfless decision during their grief are profoundly inspiring,” BC Minister of Health Josie Osborne said in a release.
One of those living donors is the mother of Mei Lin Chenug, a TRU advancement officer.
“In 2010, my dad was diagnosed with a kidney disease, “ Cheung said. “My mom, without hesitation, agreed to give my dad a kidney. I don’t even remember my mom considering it.”
“At that time, they didn’t really have a ton of resources for people who were looking for organ donations. So it was kinda put on you as [the transplant recipient] to find your own donor,” Cheung said. “The majority of that outreach was done by my mom.”
Her mother made email lists, contacting almost everyone the family knew. Cheung said when all options were exhausted, her mother found out she was a match for donation.
“My dad has been living with my mom’s kidney ever since,” Cheung said.
“With [the donation], her life didn’t really change — but on the flip side, it was everything for my dad.”
Without a donation, her father would have needed frequent dialysis treatment to function. Dialysis is a medical process in which blood is filtered through a medical device that acts as an artificial kidney.
Instead, the couple has been living happily for over a decade.
Although nearly 500 lives were saved because of donations last year, Cheung believes the province should be able to raise that number in the future.
“I think that [the number of donations] is great, but it definitely can always be bigger. We can do better,” Cheung, a registered donor, said.
Her concern may be warranted. As of Dec. 31, 2024, 666 British Columbians were still awaiting donations.
One way the province hopes to fix this is by making the donor registration process more straightforward.
Starting this year, British Columbians will be able to register as a donor by simply checking a box when filing their tax returns.
B.C. also saw an uptick in referrals from hospitals and healthcare providers in 2024. Last year, 1,119 referrals were recorded, an improvement compared to 2023, which saw just 989.
According to Canadian Blood Services, only one to two per cent of people who die in hospital are eligible to donate organs due to strict criteria in place.
To register as a donor in B.C., you must provide basic personal information and your personal health number and be 19 years old or have the approval of a guardian.
B.C. residents can register at the Transplant BC website or wait for the new tax forms this spring to check the new organ donation box.