{"id":6044,"date":"2026-09-10T18:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T22:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/?post_type=resource&p=6044"},"modified":"2026-09-10T18:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T22:18:17","slug":"offrir-le-don-de-la-vie-le-don-dorganes-de-vivant","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/resource\/giving-the-gift-of-life-living-organ-donation\/","title":{"rendered":"Faire le don de la vie : le don d\u2019organe d\u2019un donneur vivant"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"resource-topic":[36],"resource-type":[27],"class_list":["post-6044","resource","type-resource","status-publish","hentry","resource-topic-transplantation","resource-type-blog-post"],"acf":{"type":27,"topic":[36],"blocks":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"This Living Donor Week, we're shining a light on the life-changing impact of living organ donation and the vital role it plays for people living with organ disease. We spoke with Candice Coghlan, Education & Outreach Coordinator at the UHN Centre for Living Organ Donation, who has experienced the gift of living donation firsthand. In this Q&A, Candice shares how receiving a living donor transplant transformed her own life and how that experience continues to shape the work she does to support and inspire others.\r\n

Tell us about your journey as a living donor transplant recipient?<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nI was born with a missing gene, NPHP1, and for years, I lived with declining kidney function while trying to maintain as normal a life as possible without knowing. I was in University, working and enjoying time with my family, but my health continued to deteriorate until I was very fatigued, not eating well, being sick to my stomach and having regular skin flare ups. My mother suggested I get bloodwork, and that is when we got the call that rocked our world. It was the middle of the night and I was told to go to emergency, that nurses were waiting for me. I was a crash start onto hemodialysis, spending 3 weeks as an in-patient with less than 5% kidney function. I got stronger, and decided I wanted to do dialysis at home, so decided to start peritoneal dialysis.\r\n\r\nI was incredibly blessed when the topic of living kidney donation came up and I had family and friends step forward wanting to be tested as living donors. It was incredibly humbling to know that people were willing to go through the process to help me. Ultimately, my mother was my match, and in 2009, on 09\/09\/09 at 9am, she gave me the incredible gift of life for the second time.\r\n

How did receiving a living donor transplant impact your life?<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nReceiving a living donor transplant did not just improve my health\u2014it gave me the opportunity to truly live again and gave me my life back in ways I never imagined. Before my transplant, much of my energy was spent simply trying to get through the day. I did not realize how much chronic kidney disease had slowly taken from me until I felt healthy again. Since my transplant I have travelled the world, finished my degree, found a career I am passionate about, married and have a healthy, joy filled 5-year-old daughter that I am able to keep up with. It is hard to put into words the gratitude I feel every single day for my mom\u2019s generosity and for the transplant team who made it possible. Transplant gives you your freedom back. You are able to make decisions about the life you want to live, without needing life support. I now dedicate much of my time to educating others about living donation and supporting patients as they navigate their own transplant journeys. Every milestone I experience, from family vacations to everyday moments, is possible because someone chose to become a living donor.\r\n

What advice do you have for those waiting for a transplant?<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nBe kind to yourself. Waiting is incredibly difficult because so much feels out of your control. Find something or someone that makes you content- a hobby, a person, an animal. It is okay to feel hopeful one day and discouraged the next. I encourage people not to be afraid to talk about living donation. Many of us find it uncomfortable to ask for help, but sharing your story gives others the opportunity to make an informed decision. You are not asking someone to donate an organ, you are letting people know there is a way they may be able to help, and asking them to share your story. Lean on your support system, ask questions, and remember that you're not alone. There is an entire transplant community cheering you on.\r\n

For someone deciding whether to become a living donor themselves, what do they need to understand about the process and recovery?<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nThe first thing to know is that learning more does not commit you to donating. The evaluation process is thorough because the transplant team's number one priority is protecting the donor's health. You can ask questions, undergo testing, and decide at any point that donation is not right for you. Recovery looks different for everyone, but most donors tell us that while surgery is certainly not easy, they return to healthy, active lives and are incredibly proud of their scars. Many say the temporary recovery was worth knowing they changed someone else's life forever. Living donation is an extraordinary act of generosity, but it's also a carefully monitored medical process designed to ensure donors remain healthy in the short and long term. Also, find a living donor who has been through it, and ask the questions that only another donor would know. You can always learn more by reaching out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at livingorgandonation@uhn.ca<\/a><\/strong>\r\n

Working in education for living donors and waitlist patients, what's the one thing you wish more people understood about the need for donors and the impact it has?<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nI wish more people understood that living donation does not just save a life\u2014it changes the trajectory of an entire family, an entire community. When someone receives a living donor transplant, they are often transplanted sooner, before becoming as sick as they otherwise might. That can mean more years of good health, more time with loved ones, and a better quality of life. I also wish more people knew that simply getting information about living donation is valuable. You don't have to know immediately whether donation is right for you. Learning about the process, asking questions, and understanding the safeguards in place can help you make an informed decision. Even if you decide donation isn't for you, having that conversation helps build awareness and may inspire someone else to consider becoming a donor. Every living donor creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond the recipient. They give families more birthdays, more holidays, more ordinary moments together\u2014and those are the moments that matter most. If you are not able to be a living donor, register your consent to be a deceased donor at beadonor.ca, donate blood, volunteer, share someone\u2019s story who is waiting for an organ. Every step helps.","remove_heading_underline":false}],"related_resources":"","title":"","text":"","image":"","landing_page":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/6044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"acf:term":[{"embeddable":true,"taxonomy":"resource-topic","href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-topic\/36"},{"embeddable":true,"taxonomy":"resource-type","href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type\/27"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-topic?post=6044"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liver.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=6044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}