Living Transplant: Patient Stories | Organ Donation | Medical Experts

Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Darryl Wallis, who was diagnosed with Hollow Visceral Myopathy at age one. He grew up in and out of hospitals and unable to eat, but about 16 years ago, he received a multi-organ transplant including a liver, bowel, stomach and pancreas, which gave him his life back. He was able to have a family and become a pharmacist and a few years ago, Darryl's son was diagnosed with the same disease. He also received a multi-organ transplant by the same surgeon, Dr. Anand Ghanekar, who is our expert guest. Dr. Ghanekar's practice focuses on abdominal organ transplantation. He joins us to discuss the rarity of multi-organ transplants and the privilege it is to have the opportunity to restore somebody from certain death to almost a normal life, and the personal connection he has to the success of his patients.

To learn more about the multi organ transplant program visit https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Pages/default.aspx 

Want to register your consent to be an organ donor when you pass? Want to see if you are a registered organ donor? Visit www.beadonor.ca and don't forget to tell your family about your wishes.

You can also reach out to us directly with any questions at [email protected]

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

Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Amber Needham and her living eye stem cell donor, Kathy O'Toole. They discuss how Amber lost her eyesight twice from unique situations. Amber, Kathy and Candice talk about their remarkable journey as Amber went from 2020 vision to blindness and how she was given a second chance with sight when Kathy donated stem cells from her eye. They are later joined by Amber's ophthalmologist, Dr. Clara Chan, who talks about fascinating innovation in science with stem cell transplants, the healing properties of amniotic membranes, and how her work is a lesson in humanity and the strength of patients. 

To purchase Amber's book, The Blind Girl Sees, visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Blind-Girl-Sees-Seeing-Through/dp/1039136869 

To learn more about Amber's charity work visit: https://uhnfoundation.ca/stories/amber-needham-rides-toward-vision-care-for-all/ 

If you are interested in learning more about stem cell donation you can visit:

https://www.blood.ca/en/stemcells/donating-stemcells/stemcell-eligibility-and-registration 

https://www.uhn.ca/PatientsFamilies/Health_Information/Health_Topics/Documents/Living_Donor_Corneal_Limbal_Stem_Cell_Transplant.pdf 

Or reach out directly to us at [email protected]

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

Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Ivica, an opera singer who loves baking, teaching others, and above all else, his family. Ivica discusses his journey with kidney failure and how his brother stepped forward to be his donor, giving him back the strength to sing beautifully. Later we're joined by Margot Mitchell, a retired social worker who worked at UHN for over 20 years. She speaks of the importance of good mental health and how we can all move through grief to gratitude. 

To listen to more of Ivica's singing, check out @onetenorthreekidneys 

If you are looking to connect with Peer Support, visit the Kidney Foundation at https://kidney.ca/Support/Peer-Support 

UHN's Coping with a Transplant manual https://www.uhn.ca/PatientsFamilies/Health_Information/Health_Topics/Documents/Coping_with_a_Transplant.pdf 

Or reach out directly to us at [email protected] to connect with someone to share experiences.

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

Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Charles Cook, an incredibly brave and vibrant person who is a heart and kidney transplant recipient. After far too many close cases with death, Charles has implemented the life motto of ‘keep bangin’. Charles and Candice are later joined by the one of a kind cardiologist, Dr. Heather Ross who is highly decorated with awards like Canadian Geographic’s top 100 Explorers and the Order of Canada. She talks about football, her childhood, Testing Your Limits and why the patient journey to her, is more than just treating the disease.

With special guest Millie, the Myers parrot.

To read more about Charles’ journey, visit: https://www.keepbangin.com/

To read more about Dr. Heather Ross & Testing Your Limits, visit: https://uhnfdn.ca/tyl/

For more information about the ACB Organ Health YouTube Channel, visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFFz8hoKUxTYltN1aX8nghA 

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

In September, 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave a Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients from across Canada. This week you will hear another story from a great actions model about their journey with living organ donation.

In this episode, host Candice was joined by Paul. Paul’s partner was diagnosed with kidney failure and told him about the three possible paths he could go down. Paul acted without hesitation, thinking he would be a good candidate. After vigorous testing, Paul and his partner found out he was a wonderful match, and they had a successful transplant. 

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

To submit or share your story, please reach out to us at [email protected]

To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, please visit www.greatactions.ca 

In September 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave a Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. 

In this episode, Host Candice is joined by Ian Goodall-George, who self proclaimed himself as the poster child for boring, but is anything but that. Ian is an anonymous, non directed kidney donor, meaning he stepped forward to donate a kidney to a stranger, just out of the goodness of his heart. 

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

To submit or share your story, please reach out to us at [email protected]

To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, please visit www.greatactions.ca 

In September 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave a Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. 

In this episode, Host Candice is joined by Ashley, a world traveller and horseback rider who donated a kidney to a stranger through the Kidney Paired Donation program. 

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

To submit or share your story, please reach out to us at [email protected]

To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, please visit www.greatactions.ca 

To learn more about the Kidney Paired Donation program, please visit https://www.blood.ca/en/about-us/media/kidney-paired-donation/backgrounder-kidney-paired-donation-program#:~:text=The%20national%20Kidney%20Paired%20Donation%20(KPD)%20program%20is%20an%20interprovincial,become%20a%20living%20kidney%20donor. 

In September, 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave A Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation.  It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. In the coming weeks, you'll hear stories from great actions models about their journey with living organ donation.

In this episode, Host Candice interviewed Craig Settee, a family man and marathon runner who donated a kidney to his brother just over ten years ago.

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

To submit your story, please reach out to us at [email protected]

To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, visit www.greatactions.ca 

To learn more about organizations discussed in this podcast please visit:
Ajmera Transplant Centre: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant 
CanSolve CKD: https://cansolveckd.ca/ 
BC Transplant: http://www.transplant.bc.ca/
Transplant Manitoba: https://www.transplantmanitoba.ca/ 
TAP: https://transplantambassadors.ca/ 
Living Donor Circle of Excellence: https://www.livingdonorcircle.com/partner/cst 
PRELOD: https://www.giftoflife.on.ca/resources/pdf/PRELOD_Online_Brochure_April_2022_FINAL.pdf 
Hope Air: https://hopeair.ca/ 

Bonus Episode: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Jaime

In September, 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave A Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation.  It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada.

In the coming weeks, you'll hear stories from Great Actions models about their journey with living organ donation.

In this episode, host Candice is joined by Jaime Watt, whose partner donated a kidney to him. 

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

To submit your story, please reach out to us at [email protected]

To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, visit www.greatactions.ca 

Bonus Episode: Remember This Living Donation - Len

During Living Donation Week 2021, we partnered with the podcast, Remember This, with host Amanda Cupido to highlight first person living organ donation stories submitted through an online app. In this episode, Len shares his story as a double anonymous, non-directed living donor, which means he donated a portion of his liver to a stranger, then he donated a kidney to a stranger!

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

To submit your story, please reach out to us at [email protected]

For more information about Living Liver Donation visit https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/living_liver_donor.aspx