A Victoria mom is back on the BC Transplant list after her first kidney transplant didnB次元官网网址檛 take. In British Columbia, 674 people are on the list, waiting for donated organs B次元官网网址� 538 of them are waiting for a kidney transplant.

In May, 31-year-old Drielle Tousignant underwent surgery when a friend of a friend donated her kidney. Tousignant first learned her kidneys were failing in December 2013, after a strep infection travelled from her throat to her kidneys. Chemo treatment helped bring her kidney function back up to 35 per cent, but they kept declining.

Tousignant and her family began looking for kidney donors, putting out the word through social media that she was looking for a match.

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B次元官网网址淗ow do you ask somebody to give a kidney?B次元官网网址� Tousignant said, adding that she understands donation can be a stressful and scary process, especially if people donB次元官网网址檛 know how it works. She tried not to get her hopes up when an acquaintance said she was getting tested, because so many people hadnB次元官网网址檛 completed the process.

Then the woman tested as a match.

It wasnB次元官网网址檛 until after the transplant surgery in May, and the ongoing testing following it, that Tousignant found out something was wrong with her new kidney transplant. A rare blood clot complication made the surgery unsuccessful, and Tousignant was in shock. She had to have the donated kidney removed, and is now back on the deceased transplant list, which means she could get a kidney from someone listed as an organ donor after they die.

More than 1.3 million people have registered to become organ donors since 1997, and the Medical Director for Transplant Services in B.C., Dr. David Landsberg, said the deceased donor rates in the province are currently good and improving.

B次元官网网址淩ight now, about 40 per cent of our transplants are living donors. Sixty per cent are deceased donors. WeB次元官网网址檝e done well with our deceased donor transplants, however our waiting list is significant,B次元官网网址� Landsberg said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 see us meeting our need with deceased donor transplants. WeB次元官网网址檙e never going to get to the point where thereB次元官网网址檚 no waiting list.B次元官网网址�

The best option, he said, is finding a living donor and getting the transplant before complete kidney failure so the patient can avoid dialysis.

B次元官网网址淚f you look at percentages, living donors have a better outcome than deceased donors. The reasons are, I think, related to the ensured excellent quality of the living donor. With a living donor, you can spend as much time as you need to do as many tests as you need in order to assure yourself that the donorB次元官网网址檚 kidney is perfect,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪ometimes you canB次元官网网址檛 discover their true quality until after the fact. ItB次元官网网址檚 an emergency, itB次元官网网址檚 done in the middle of the night. When a living donation is done, itB次元官网网址檚 planned, itB次元官网网址檚 elective, itB次元官网网址檚 controlled.B次元官网网址�

Tousignant hasnB次元官网网址檛 been able to work since her first transplant in May, but still hopes to return to work. Her kidney function was only 12 per cent when she was last tested, and since they canB次元官网网址檛 filter the toxins in her body, Tousignant has to constantly monitor her diet.

On Oct. 31, Tousignant will have surgery to start dialysis for the first time. The single mother is hoping it will give her more energy to care for her 10-year-old son.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard living with this disease being a single mom. The simplest things are so hard because youB次元官网网址檙e so tired,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that the effect her illness has on her young son is the hardest part.

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B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping more people will sign up to be an organ donor. A lot of people I know arenB次元官网网址檛 on that list. I think the wait list would be a lot less if people would do that. If I could donate something, I 100 per cent would, but with my health as it is, I canB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� Tousignant said.

Landsberg added a deceased donor is still a good option, and better than dialysis.

B次元官网网址淚 want to give a strong message that a living donor is great, but I donB次元官网网址檛 want to give the message that deceased donation is second-rate. ItB次元官网网址檚 not. There are people alive today who got deceased donor transplants 30 years ago who are still doing great.B次元官网网址�

He recommends anyone who wants to be an organ donor after they pass away to so their family is aware and doctors know in the case of an emergency.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e struck by a story and you want to consider living donation, weB次元官网网址檙e happy to discuss that,B次元官网网址� Landsberg said.

BC Transplant Services can help patients find living donors with outreach and tools found at . Those interested in donating can also find information at that website.

@KeiliBartlett
keili.bartlett@blackpress.ca

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