Living Transplant: Patient Stories | Organ Donation | Medical Experts

In this powerful episode of Living Transplant, host Candice Coghlan sits down with Sasha, a social worker at Toronto General Hospital, to discuss the vital intersection of mental health, addiction recovery, and organ transplantation. Sasha shares her journey into social work, her experience supporting patients in the Alcohol Liver Disease Program, and how stigma can affect those living with alcohol-related liver disease.

The conversation dives deep into the realities of recovery, relapse prevention, financial barriers, and the emotional toll of transplant life — for both patients and families. Sasha emphasizes compassion, honesty, and the importance of recognizing addiction as a health condition, not a moral failing. Together, Candice and Sasha explore the meaning of resilience, the need for peer and mental health support, and the small acts of kindness that make a lasting impact in healthcare.

Key Takeaways

• Addiction is a health condition and should be treated with empathy and understanding.
• Mental health support is just as critical as physical care in the transplant process.
• Family and caregivers play an essential role in a patient’s recovery journey.
• Financial challenges and access to mental health care remain major barriers for many patients.
• Peer support networks are transformative but still lacking for liver transplant patients.
• Honesty and emotional validation are key tools for social workers supporting transplant patients.
• It’s okay to not feel okay — emotional lows are part of the transplant journey.

Resources & Links

Learn more about Living Organ Donation

Learn more about Living Liver Donation

Learn more about Mental Health supports available

Centre for Living Organ Donation on Instagram

Ajmera Transplant Centre on Instagram

About the Podcast

Each episode of Living Transplant shares real stories from transplant recipients, living donors, and healthcare experts. Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or simply curious about organ donation, you’ll hear honest conversations about resilience, hope, and the life-changing power of organ transplantation.

About the Host

Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at UHN’s Ajmera Transplant Centre, a kidney transplant recipient, and a board member for the National Kidney Foundation.

Contact

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]. Thanks for spending your time with us.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

In this deeply moving episode of The Living Transplant Podcast, host Candice Coghlan sits down with Mary, a liver transplant recipient whose story embodies courage, vulnerability, and self-advocacy.

Mary opens up about her struggles with addiction, mental health, and identity, sharing how her liver transplant became a turning point toward healing — both physically and emotionally. She discusses the often-overlooked connection between mental and physical health, the stigma surrounding addiction, and the life-changing power of receiving an accurate diagnosis after years of being misunderstood.

This honest and heartfelt conversation reminds us that healing doesn’t end with surgery — it continues with self-discovery, support, and breaking the silence around mental health.

Key Takeaways

• Mental and physical health are deeply interconnected — both deserve equal attention.
• Addiction and mental health struggles are health issues, not moral failings.
• Advocacy starts small: asking for help is an act of bravery, advocacy is crucial in navigating the healthcare system
• Receiving a transplant can awaken gratitude, but also complex emotions that deserve space and care.
• A proper diagnosis can completely change a person’s quality of life.
• Breaking the stigma around mental health begins with open, honest conversations.
• Community and compassion are powerful forces in recovery.
• Mental health challenges often go unseen and misunderstood.
• Organ donation is a life-changing gift that impacts families.
• Everyone struggles with something; it's important to talk about it.

Links and Resources

More information about living organ donation

More information about living liver transplantation

Centre for Living Organ Donation on Instagram

Ajmera Transplant Centre on Instagram

Canadian Mental Health Association

About Our Guest

Mary R. — Liver transplant recipient and mental health advocate.

Her story highlights resilience, hope, and the importance of treating the whole person, not just the body.

Connect with the Podcast or Learn more about Organ Donation

Click here for more information about living organ donation.

Click here for more information about living kidney transplantation. 

Click here for more information about Polycystic Kidney Disease. 

Ajmera Transplant Centre on Instagram

Each episode, we share patient stories about organ donation from transplant recipients and living donors, along with insights and education from leading medical experts. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, a donor, or simply curious about the world of organ transplantation, you’ll hear expert advice and inspiring journeys of hope, resilience, and second chances.

About our Host

Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre. She is also a board member for the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. After she was diagnosed with kidney failure in her early 20s, she was on dialysis until receiving a transplant from her mother.

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]. Thanks for spending your time with us.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

In this inspiring episode, host Candice Coghlan speaks with Megan Owen-Evans, a rare double anonymous living organ donor. Megan has given both a kidney and part of her liver—gifts offered not to family or friends, but to complete strangers in need.

Together, they explore what motivates someone to step forward for such extraordinary acts of altruism, the recovery journey, and the myths and misconceptions around anonymous donation. Megan also shares how her experiences as a donor inspired her advocacy work, including pushing for paid leave for living donors through the Living Donor Circle of Excellence.

This conversation highlights not only the bravery of living donors but also the ripple effects their generosity creates in workplaces, families, and communities.

Episode Highlights

Megan’s journey from childhood experience to becoming a living donor

Discovering the option of anonymous kidney and liver donation

What recovery was really like after both surgeries

Misconceptions about living and anonymous donation—and how to address them

Writing letters to her recipients and the emotional connections that followed

How Megan helped shape workplace policy to remove financial barriers for donors

Why living donors see their gift as life-changing not just for recipients, but for themselves

Takeaways

Living donors undergo thorough medical and psychological screening to ensure safety.

Recovery from kidney and liver donation is often faster and easier than many assume.

Community support and employer recognition play a vital role in making donation possible.

Altruism can be a powerful force that reshapes not only individual lives but also public policy.

Every act of donation—whether blood, organs, or advocacy—creates ripples of hope.

Links and Resources

Click here for more information about the Living Donor Circle of Excellence

Click here to watch videos of living organ donors and recipients of living donation

Connect with the Podcast or Learn more about Organ Donation

Click here for more information about living organ donation.

Click here for more information about living kidney transplantation. 

Click here for more information about living liver transplantation

Click here to watch videos of living organ donors and recipients of living donation

Centre for Living Organ Donation on Instagram

Ajmera Transplant Centre on Instagram

Each episode, we share patient stories about organ donation from transplant recipients and living donors, along with insights and education from leading medical experts. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, a donor, or simply curious about the world of organ transplantation, you’ll hear expert advice and inspiring journeys of hope, resilience, and second chances.

About our Host

Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre. She is also a board member for the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. After she was diagnosed with kidney failure in her early 20s, she was on dialysis until receiving a transplant from her mother.

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]. Thanks for spending your time with us.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

In this episode, Dr. Marsh explains the neuroscience of altruism, from the role of the amygdala to genetic influences on empathy. Through Dr. Marsh’s donor stories and research insights we explore the spectrum of altruism and psychopathy. She reveals how the amygdala, the brain region tied to emotional responses, plays a pivotal role in altruistic behavior. Remarkably, research shows that altruistic kidney donors often have larger amygdala sizes compared to the average person.

Dr. Marsh also reveals the genetic factors that shape empathy and altruistic tendencies, while challenging the misconception that altruism is irrational or abnormal. She contrasts the media’s frequent focus on negative aspects of human nature with the lived experiences of donors, who describe profound feelings of honor and fulfillment after giving the gift of life.

Throughout the conversation, personal stories from living organ donors underscore the importance of community support for both donors and recipients. Dr. Marsh emphasizes the power of education and awareness to dispel myths about donation and highlights that altruism is not only a natural human trait but also one that can be nurtured and encouraged in all of us.

Links and Resources

Dr. Marsh’s Website

Dr. Marsh’s TedTalk

The Fear Factor, by Dr. Marsh

Dr. Marsh LinkedIn

Connect with the Podcast or Learn more about Organ Donation

Click here for more information about living organ donation.

Click here for more information about living kidney transplantation. 

Click here for more information about Polycystic Kidney Disease. 

Ajmera Transplant Centre on Instagram

Each episode, we share patient stories about organ donation from transplant recipients and living donors, along with insights and education from leading medical experts. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, a donor, or simply curious about the world of organ transplantation, you’ll hear expert advice and inspiring journeys of hope, resilience, and second chances.

About our Host

Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre. She is also a board member for the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. After she was diagnosed with kidney failure in her early 20s, she was on dialysis until receiving a transplant from her mother.

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]. Thanks for spending your time with us.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

 In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice Coghlan is joined by Loi Nguyen; a father, outdoorsman, and all around very positive person. Loi is living with polycystic kidney disease. We discussed his journey from diagnosis to kidney modality options, to the call that came in that changed his life: that there was a living kidney donor ready to donate a kidney to him through the paired exchange program. 

We're later joined by Christine Bruce, the Senior Director of Laboratory Medicine at UHN. Not only is Christine the Director of the program, which is incredibly instrumental in all parts of transplant, but she is also an anonymous kidney donor. After reading an email we sent out about Living Donation Week, Christine made the decision that she would fill out her health history form and wait six months to see if she was still passionate about the opportunity to become a donor. And when she decided she was, her path to transplant was unique, as she went from a practitioner to a patient. Please enjoy.  

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

For more information about living organ donation, please visit www.livingorgandonation.ca

For more information about living kidney transplantation, please visit: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/living_kidney_donor.aspx

For more information about Polycystic Kidney Disease, please visit https://www.endpkd.ca/ 

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]. Thanks for spending your time with us.

In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice Coghlan is joined by Winne Jerome who talks to us about her journey as a living donor to her sister through the Kidney Paired Donation Program, making that decision after having a premature newborn baby at home. She spoke about how when she found out she was able to donate a kidney to a stranger, so her sister would receive a kidney from a stranger, the excitement was too much to hold. We are later joined by Darlene Jagusic, a registered nurse who spent time supporting the Living and Deceased Donation Program in Saskatchewan, as well as being a critical care nurse in B. C. and Saskatchewan for many years. She is now the Program Manager for the Kidney Paired Donation and Highly Sensitized Patient Program at Canadian Blood Services.

We discuss hope for those waiting, the details and intricacies of the Kidney Paired Donation Program, and the gratitude we have for organ donors. Please enjoy.  

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the offical policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. 

For more information about kidney transplantation, please visit: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Kidney_Transplant_Program 

For more information about the Kidney Paired Donation Program, please visit: https://www.blood.ca/en/organs-tissues/living-organ-donation/kidney-paired-donation 

To watch Winnie & Fadia's story on Great Actions, please visit: greatactions.ca 

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected].

Thanks for spending your time with us.

In this episode of the Living Transplant postcast, host, Candice Coghlan was joined by Stephanie Dyriw, a living liver donor to her son. Stephanie was put in a situation no parent could ever imagine, when her healthy, three and a half year old son crashed into liver failure with no warning. Within days, Stephanie and the UHN team worked tirelessly to get the testing done in partnership with SickKids to test to find if she would be a match, and thankfully, within mere days, Stephanie became a living liver donor to her son, saving his life. We are later joined by Dr. Nazia Selzner, a transplant hepatologist and Medical Director of the Living Donor Liver Transplant Program at the Ajmera Transplant Centre, and Dr. Cynthia Tsien, Education Director of the Ajmera Transplant Centre. We spoke about diversity, equity and inclusion in transplant, both for professionals and for patients and families. We discussed how equity, diversity, and inclusion in transplant medicine are crucial to ensuring all patients have fair access to life saving treatments, regardless of their background, leading to better overall health outcomes, and how for professionals, fostering an inclusive environment enhances teamwork, broadens perspectives, and improves decision making, ultimately advancing the field and providing more comprehensive care. Please enjoy.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

For more information about Great Actions Leave a Mark, please visit greatactions.ca

For more information about living liver transplant, please visit https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Liver_Transplant_Program 

To register for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Transplant conference, please visit https://deiintransplant.com/ 

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected].

Thanks for spending your time with us.

In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host, Candice Coghlan, was joined by Manuel Escoto, the Patient, Family, Donor Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization Director at CDTRP, the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program alongside Sadia Baig, the Programs Coordinator at the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Ontario branch. What is the common thread between the three of us you might be thinking? Well, all of us are not only working in the field of transplant, donation and chronic illness, but we're all living with kidney disease diagnosed at a young age.

We speak about being diagnosed with a chronic disease, the mental and physical roller coasters, working in a professional field that we also have a personal connection to, what it's like to connect with others who are going through something similar, and the importance of advocacy and having a strong network of support. Join the three of us as we dive into these topics in a unique episode where the people with lived experience are also the experts in the field. Please enjoy.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the offical policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. 

For more information about kidney transplantation, please visit www.livingorgandonation.ca 

For more information about CDTRP, please visit https://cdtrp.ca/en/ 

For more information about the Kidney Foundation of Canada, please visit www.kidney.ca 

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected].

Thanks for spending your time with us.

In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice Coghlan was joined by Jillian Best, the first organ transplant recipient and one in only 72 people to ever swim across Lake Ontario in all of recorded history. Jillian trained, swam and built her mental fortitude so she could swim across Lake Ontario in 18 hours and 36 minutes. She finished the historic 52 kilometer crossing to raise money for the transplant unit who saved her life and her mother's. We are later joined by Dr. Marie Faughnan, a Lung Specialist and HHT specialist at St. Michael's Hospital. As an avid cycler and physician, Dr. Marie was healthy and ready when a colleague of hers experienced liver failure and was in need of a life saving liver transplant. She asked herself, why not me? She went through the process of going from a physician to a patient and became a living liver donor to save her colleague's life. Throughout this episode, we talk about perserverence, commitment, sacrifice and doing hard things with extreme bravery. Please enjoy. 

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

For more information about living liver donation, please visit www.livingorgandonation.ca

For more information about Jillian Best's swim across Lake Ontario, please visit https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/q-a-londoner-jillian-best-relives-her-historic-swim-across-lake-ontario/article_5b953b74-c9eb-5944-bb0f-88add77d74d8.html 

To listen to Dr. Marie Faughnan's story and other living donors and recipients, please visit www.greatactions.ca 

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]

Thanks for spending your time with us.

In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice, was joined by Dawn Ethier, a police officer and mother of four. Dawn had thyroid cancer over 10 years ago. The cancer was treated, but she was left with hypoparathyroidism, which caused horrible side effects, changed her lifestyle, and took a lot of time away from her family, her work, and her life. Dawn did a lot of research, and with her advocacy and ingenuity, brought the idea of a parathyroid transplant to her doctors, who eventually found Dr. Karen Devon, an endocrine surgeon at UHN's Sprott Department of Surgery.  With only one other recorded case of this exact transplant in scientific literature, Dr. Devon was inspired by Dawn to do homework, connect with specialists around the world, and several years later, cured Dawn's hypoparathyroidism following a ground-breaking North American first procedure at UHN's Ajmera Transplant Centre. This changed Dawn's life, her family's life, and changed the future for patients.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

For more about Dawn’s story, and the team behind this North American first, please visit https://uhnfoundation.ca/stories/north-american-first-transplant-offers-mother-of-four-a-future-now/

For more information about Ajmera Transplant Centre, please visit https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at [email protected]

Thanks for spending your time with us.