REGINA — Saskatchewan is joining Canadians in recognizing Living Donation Week from Sept. 8 to 14.
A living donation occurs when someone gives either a kidney or a part of their liver to a patient with end-stage kidney or liver disease, significantly improving survival rates for those suffering from organ failure.
LDW aims to improve access to living kidney and liver donations while inspiring those currently waiting for a transplant, and everyone who cares about them, to explore the living organ donation option, a government press release states.
A living kidney or liver donor could be a spouse, family member, friend, co-worker or stranger. Donors must be older than 16 for liver donation and older than 18 for kidney donation. They must also have a healthy weight for their height, be in good health without diabetes, cancer, kidney, or heart disease and be willing to freely donate. Kidney donors who come forward for a specific recipient and are not a match may still be able to help that recipient through the National Kidney Paired Donation Program.
In early 2024, Saskatchewan launched a new segment in the national Great Actions Leave a Mark (GALAM) campaign to raise awareness and showcase living organ donors, recipients, and physicians from Saskatchewan. View their personal stories at .
"Making the decision to be a living organ or tissue donor is a compassionate act that changes the lives of those who receive the donation and the family and friends they are surrounded by," Saskatchewan Health Authority Tertiary and Surgical Services Executive Director Kerri Hysuick said.
"Our health care teams are honoured to be a part of the process, both with donors and receivers of organ and tissue donations, to positively alter recipients' lives."
The Saskatchewan Organ and Tissue Donor registry was launched in September 2020 and to date, over 30,000 eligible Saskatchewan residents have registered their intent to donate their organs and/or tissues.
Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to register their decision to be an organ and tissue donor registry and request information about the process of becoming a living organ donor at .
