My name is Julia. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in helping people. I feel lucky that this is something I get to do for a living as an emergency room nurse.
When I was in my second year of nursing school, I saw an ad in the paper for someone seeking a living organ donor. I applied and was turned down due to my age—in BC where I live, you needed to be 25 to be an anonymous organ donor.
After being turned down a second time because I was too young to donate my kidney, I looked at other pathways to be a living donor. As it turned out, an Ontario family was seeking an anonymous living liver donor. My age wasn’t a limiting factor there, and I had family I could stay with. When it turned out that I was a match, I was thrilled—finally, I could help someone through organ donation! (Julia later donated a kidney to another stranger! This makes her 1 of the (less than!) 10 Canadians who have ever decided to anonymously donate more than one of their organs to a complete stranger!)
The way I see it, every day is a chance to help people. With every connection comes the opportunity for empathy and generosity. Every day and every way we choose to show compassion can truly change someone’s life.
In my work as an ER nurse, I frequently meet people who are experiencing complications from liver disease. These are people who have waited a long time on the transplant list and have a decreased quality of life as a result.
From these encounters I know that liver diseases affect many people. And it does not discriminate—it can affect anyone.
“Donating a portion of my liver is the best thing that I have done, it’s only a few months of your life that could improve someone’s quality of life or even save someone’s life.”
Liver Canada has been amazing at helping me share my story on organ donation. And for people affected by liver diseases, they offer education and resources, answer questions, and provide connection with others going through similar things. Last year, their patient education resources and materials traveled far and wide to reach doctors’ offices all across Canada, including Indigenous communities.
That’s why Liver Canada’s work matters so much. With every liver-healthy tip, every brochure about testing and screening, and every resource about transplantation they are benefiting millions of people across Canada.
