A Special Information Supplement Imagine watching someone’s health deteriorate. Imagine someone’s life literally tied to a dialysis machine. Imagine being able to restore someone’s quality of life. That’s exactly what Ken Donohue and hundreds of OUR SON… OUR HERO other British Columbians have done by giving a kidney or a portion of their liver, to someone they know. Even in death pilot saves lives LIVING DONATION ut of one family's overwhelm- ing loss and grief comes an “It’s amazing what a new kidney has given my wife,” unprecedented story of new o 877-2240 says Ken. “She returned to work three months after the ) life and hope for six others and their ephone: (604 Tel 9 families. 7-2111 Fax: (604) 87 transplant, she has gone on to become an elementary

John Wayne Bailey died tragically 8 0-663-6189 school teacher, and earlier this year gave birth to our at the age of 32. Toll Free: 1-80 John was born August 23, 1972. At 1 first child, Jack.”

an early age, he moved across 6 Canada with his parents Pat and The first live donor kidney transplant in BC was performed in 1976, Wayne and sister Kym. He spent 3 when a mother gave a kidney to her daughter. Since then, more than

time in Whitehorse, Yukon and Fort 6 770 British Columbians have given a kidney to someone they know, Nelson on the Alaska Highway. In such as a family member, spouse, friend, or co-worker. In 1999, the 1988 he moved with his family to 6 number of kidney transplants from living donors jumped 60% from the

South Surrey and graduated from 0 year previous, and now outnumbers kidney transplants from deceased Semiahmoo High in 1990. He gradu- to donors. Living donor kidney transplants are very successful with a five- ould like 0 ated from BCIT in Helicopter mily: ciety, we w year (organ) survival rate of over 97%. This compares favourably Captain John Bailey r Bailey Fa ansplant So e ea Tr k 8 Engineering. He then trained as a D sh Columbia ohn. Please ta to 89% for kidneys from deceased donors. iti , J . fixed wing pilot, followed by com- Online Guestbook lf of the Br of your son Concerned about the number of people needing liver transplants, the On beha recent death cause of mercial helicopter pilot certification Please visit on the today be 1 BC Transplant Society implemented a live donor liver transplant pro- condolences ple are alive at Boundary Bay Airport. John flew ur eo www.remembering.canada.com offer o ge that five p gram, in 2001. To date, 11 British Columbians have given new life by led l for his father's company, "Bailey Click on newspapers (Vancouver in the know giving a portion of their liver. onsolation l Helicopters" in the northern BC Oil Sun) to sign John’s permanent c and Gas industry. He received his ur gift of life. lf, a Living Anonymous Donation I.F.R. and A.T.P.L. ratings. He flew the online guest book. yo on his beha donation c S76 on the Vancouver-Victoria shut- Here, memories can be shared and ed to organ s- Despite a successful living donor pro- and psychological out- sly agre ng tran tle and Helijets Air Ambulance. John revisited for years to come. so generou a double lu gram, the number of people needing comes in a group of 10 have ved r Because you failure recei one kidney transplants continues to LADs with a comparison fulfilled his dream of being a heli- te respiratory rt transplant, tion possible. Good news for most ith acu ed a hea o increase, while the number of poten- group of 10 Living copter pilot; however his life's one person w failure receiv kid- eart with tial donors has decreased over the Related Donors (those greatest gift was his ability to of us, but for those waiting for a life n with acute h t, one person befriend anyone with a single smile. saving transplant, it means fewer t, one perso r transplan past number of years. In light of this, who donate to someone plan ceived a live ith diabetes a He was loved by so many people organs and longer waits. ver failure re ther person w the BC Transplant Society embarked with a pre-existing rela- ith li ano c and loved people so much, he The BC Transplant Society contin- person w nsplant and ls con- on a comprehensive four-year research tionship). The objective a kidney tra se individua . donated his Christmas money to ues to expand upon this province's lure received date, all the project into the practical and ethical of this study is to con- ney fai lant. To addi- c Tsunami victims, gave up a cell donation programs through innova- ncreas transp your gift. In implications of living anonymous firm that LAD kidney a kidney-pa ived without donation (donating a kidney while transplantation is tive living donor options and ed rv b phone to sponsor a child through receiv d not have su eir eyesight. oul in th . alive to a stranger). The culmination of a safe and eco- World Vision and helped build a enhanced research. BCTS' living o well, and w erson to rega ue to d g one p t this research has resulted in BC nomically viable home for Habitat for Humanity. Even related donor program continues to tin ieved allowin improve, increasing the number of ea was retr Transplant performing the first two strategy to fur- in death he gave life to others corn n tion, a you and Living Anonymous Donor (LAD) trans- ther increase the through the BC Transplant Society kidney and liver transplants possi- great loss to nt a a (see letter at right). ble. As well, BCTS is the first pro- ust represe gan plants in Canada. supply of organs s death m be an or l John is survived by his best gram in North America to fully at your son’ wing him to Forty-three potential LAD candidates available for trans- e realize th you for allo rs who contacted the BCTS on their own plantation. W to the p friends: his parents Pat and Wayne research and launch a clinical pilot truly grateful ave helped o and sister Kym (her children Joshua into Living Anonymous Donor (LAD) ily. We are that you h volition completed questionnaires, and The two LAD trans- ur fam ledge s - looking at yo e the know took part in a two-hour interview to plants have resulted in and Alexis); brother-in-law Brent; can only hop and n assess psychological health, psychoso- positive outcomes for all involved. stepmother Judith and her children the feasibility and long term donor donor your grief. Ken and Carrie Donahue with their son Jack. outcomes when a stranger donates h will soften cial suitability, commitment, and moti- Both donors have completed follow-up Tacita, Heidi and Josh. He will also eir healt a a kidney to a person they do not regain th vations to donate. Almost half of these assessments and have returned to full be profoundly missed by numerous r 2004 from individuals interested in blessed with good health in my life Currently more than 300 British candidates passed stringent criteria to physical activity. As one donor aunts, uncles, cousins and so many know nor will ever meet. t participating. A large number of callers and want to give something back.” Columbians are waiting for a kidney very close friends. BC's organ donor registry was . be considered as potential LAD candi- exclaimed, “I feel like a million bucks. were excluded due to geographic bar- A decision on whether to implement transplant, while more than 500 others introduced in 1997, and replaced all Sincerely, dates. I wish I had nine more kidneys to riers (out of province; US residents). an ongoing Living Anonymous Donor are on dialysis and waiting to be n BC, hundreds of people are previous methods of indicating w On the strength of these results, the donate, as my recovery was so good.” Regardless of geographic location, program will be made after the com- assessed for a transplant. waiting for a life-saving organ one's intent to become an organ BCTS formulated policy and decided to Based on our encouraging results to callers consistently demonstrate a pletion of the clinical pilot. LAD is not If you would like more information on transplant and the BC donor, including the driver's license w proceed with LAD transplants in the date, we continue to enroll candidates remarkable spirit of altruism. As one intended to solve the current organ living donation, please contact the BC Transplant Society (BCTS), an and CareCard decal programs. The context of a clinical pilot study. The into the pilot study. Researchers caller explained, “The decision to shortage, but to provide another Transplant Society at 604.877.2240 or

I registry gives individuals four differ- w study compares medical, functional screened over 70 unsolicited calls in agency of the PHSA, is asking you donate is an easy one. I have been means of expanding the donor pool. 1.800.663.6189.

to save a life and register your deci- ent choices, including the option

sion. not to donate. It is important to reg-

The demand for organs continues ister because it ensures that an indi-

to outpace the supply, and with an vidual's decision is recorded, and

P reasons to aging population and more people saves the family from making a dif- BC Transplant Research Institute suffering end stage organ failure, ficult decision at an already trau- become a the need for organ transplants will matic time. O only continue to increase. With con- The chances that you will require y The BC Transplant Research Institute

T donor tinued advancements in medical an organ transplant far outweigh the a 3 (BCTRI) was established by the BC treatment, as well as improved safe- odds that you will ever be a poten- Transplant Society to capitalize on ty features such as airbags and hel- tial organ donor. It doesn't matter d 1. In B.C., 25% of people waiting our data sources and research expert-

met laws, fewer people are dying in which organ you give you'll get o for an extra-renal transplant die ise. BCTRI researchers have made ways that make solid organ dona- someone's heart in return. The Transplant Society t on the waiting list. leading edge contributions to advance international transplant

(BCTS), established in 1986, directs, r 2. There is a greater chance that knowledge and patient care. “Research can lead to discoveries delivers or contracts for all organ o you will one day need an organ transplant than there is of you that help prevent , transplant services across BC. n lower or eliminate the need for drugs ever being an organ donor and their side effects, and improve Register to be an organ donor today. o 3. You want to help. quality of life for patients. In future,

d we hope to transplant cells to regen-

erate damaged tissue, rather than Visit www.transplant.bc.ca to register online. Jonathon organs, making transplants available n kidney transplant recipient to most patients.” Rob McMaster. a

g Better Biomarkers

r A major challenge that physicians face after a transplant is determining o whether the organ is being rejected. Patients must undergo risky, invasive

n tissue biopsies to test for rejection, and other tests are relatively unreli- a able indicators of organ injury. These expensive procedures cause patients

e emotional and physical discomfort and results may be inconclusive. b To prevent organ rejection, powerful drugs are used to suppress a

o patient's immune system. But these

t drugs can leave patients susceptible

to infections and tumours, and may

r damage transplanted organs. Drs. Rob McMaster, Bruce McManus, e and Paul Keown are studying genes t and proteins in heart, liver and kid- s ney transplant patients to identify i “biomarkers” in blood cells and plas-

g ma that can predict organ rejection. Their goal is to develop an inexpen- e sive, non-invasive and accurate test

R for predicting organ rejection and a patient’s response to immunosup- pressive drugs. A simple blood test could reduce the need for invasive E procedures to monitor patients, and F enable physicians to tailor the I amount of drugs to individual

L patients to minimize their discomfort

REGISTER TODAY and undesirable side effects. This approach would also reduce the enor- E mous economic cost of immunosup-

V 85% of British Columbians said they support organ pressive drugs. Genome Canada

I awarded this research team $9.12 donation and intend to register their decision, yet million for this project, in partnership G with Novartis Pharmaceuticals and despite the generosity of British Columbians, only IBM. 13% have done so. It is our goal for all British This project is a collaboration between the BC Transplant Research Columbians to register their decision about organ Institute, iCAPTURE Centre at St. Paul's Hospital, and the Vancouver Back to front: Drs. McMaster, McManus and Keon donation. Help us reach that goal by registering Coastal Health Research Institute. today at 1.800.663.6189 or www.transplant.bc.ca Islet Cell Transplant Program produce enough insulin to compen- In the spring of 2001, a number of In people with diabetes, the insulin sate. Diabetes leads to blood sugar factors coalesced to make an Islet Current Statistics producing cells in the pancreas don’t fluctuations and complications later Transplantation program a viable function properly, or are destroyed. in life, including kidney disease, heart option in Vancouver: the recruitment People on the Registry: 515,590 With type 1 diabetes, the patient’s disease, blindness and amputation. of key academic medical personnel; a Transplants to date in 2005: 71 own immune system kills these cells, The goal of this program is to significant philanthropic gift; and the so the pancreas no longer produces reverse, retard or prevent long-term development of a significant research People still waiting: 368 insulin to process blood sugar. With complications arising from diabetes initiative into childhood diabetes. type 2 diabetes, the body is less sen- by enabling diabetics to live insulin To date, 17 islet transplants have sitive to insulin, and the cells cannot free. been performed in B.C. Captain John Bailey cared enough to be an organ donor and today five people are alive because of his gift of life.