Editorial
My name is Jordan Dendy, and for the past 17 years I’ve been living with kidney disease and am currently on the transplant list waiting for a kidney.
Kidney disease often goes unnoticed until it’s too late; you can lose up to 80 per cent of your kidney function without any symptoms.
With 15 new diagnoses of kidney failure each day in Canada, it remains a leading cause of death, and there is currently no cure.
At 15, I was diagnosed with Membranous Nephropathy, leading to my kidneys functioning at just 12 per cent. Though some of my family members have tested to donate, none were a match for various reasons.
A few weeks ago was National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week. This makes this the perfect time to reflect on the powerful impact of organ donation. Have you thought about becoming an organ donor? If not, I’m hoping that this letter will encourage you to consider what’s holding you back.
Donating an organ could give someone a second chance at life and profoundly affect their friends and family. You can choose to become a living donor or to donate after your own death. Registering in BC ensures your wishes are communicated to medical professionals should you become incapacitated. If you’re interested, please visit the Canadian Blood Services Organs and Tissues for Life website at organtissuedonation.ca. Despite heightened awareness, the demand for donors continues to outpace supply.
If you’ve ever thought about giving the gift of life, I urge you to consider being tested as a potential kidney donor. For more information, please reach out to the Living Donor Program at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Phone: 604-806-9027, toll-free: 877-922-9822, email: [email protected].
Jordan Dendy, Edgewater
