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For the 4,585 Canadians waiting on a transplant waitlist, getting the call from their transplant team saying they are next in line is better than winning the lottery.  With a median wait time of 4 years for a deceased organ transplant, the stakes are high for patients.  Increased wait times impacts quality of life and health outcomes and as health declines, patients are at risk of becoming ineligible for a transplant. 

In 2016, 260 Canadians died while waiting, including 45 Albertans. An additional 669 Canadians withdrew from the transplant program, including 43 Albertans.

“The present structure of our transplantation system is broken. Current legislation and policy in Canada, including Alberta, has failed patients on transplant waitlists and because of this, Canadians are dying needlessly,” says Flavia Robles, Executive Director, Kidney Foundation (Northern Alberta & the Territories).  “The time for federal and provincial leaders to address this crisis has long passed, so today, we are proud to formally launch our More Transplants campaign which will advocate for evidence-based policies to increase organ donation rates.”

In Alberta, the Northern Alberta Renal Program (NARP) and the Southern Alberta Renal Program (SARP) are the provincial programs treating people with kidney disease. “The unfortunate reality is that patients cared for under NARP and SARP don’t experience the same set of policies and procedures. We need one streamlined system that can best maximize resources across Alberta,” adds Robles.

More Transplants is a combined initiative between the Northern Alberta & Southern Alberta branches. “Our goal for this campaign is to engage as many patients as we can. We want to hear your concerns, challenges, and successes with the healthcare system,” says Joyce Van Deurzen, Executive Director, Kidney Foundation (Southern Alberta). “Patient engagement is critical to ensuring the system meets patient needs. We know that patient voices will bring this issue to the forefront of public policy.”

National statistics show there were 2,835 transplant procedures performed in 2016. However, more than 4,500 people are still on the transplant wait list and this represents an increase over the 4,100 people on the list 10 years ago.  As a nation, Canada’s donor per million population (DPMP) rate has increased minimally from 14.1 DPMP to 18.2 DPMP.

“Our goal is that one day soon everyone who needs a transplant will get one,” notes Robles. Van Deurzen agrees, adding “If you want to be an organ donor, it’s important to register your intent to donate and more importantly, let your family know about your wishes.”

Visit www.MoreTransplants.ca learn more.