Eighteen years ago, Kidneys on the Move was but a gleam in the eye of kidney transplant recipient, Doug, and his wife Maureen. Today it is a major force in the fundraising world of the Kidney Foundation.

Having just received his gift of life from his brother on Valentine’s Day 2000, Doug and Maureen organized a fundraiser, called Kidneys on the Move, and invited family and friends to join them in celebrating Doug’s life-saving transplant. In 2001 Doug and Maureen joined the Kidney Foundation and promoted Kidneys on the Move as an annual fundraiser to support patients with kidney disease requiring organ donation and assist them with accommodation and travel expenses related to transplantation in Vancouver.  Doug passed away on Remembrance Day 2012 and is remembered by many as a hero.  Inspired by her husband’s legacy, Maureen continues as a member with the Kidney Foundation and organizer of Kidneys on the Move, which to this date, has raised over $100,000 to support patients with kidney disease.

Their campaign to promote the importance of kidney health and organ donation has grown beyond Doug and Maureen’ initial Kidneys on the Move fundraising initiative.

Maureen recalled how Doug used to say, “It really sucks that the number of patients suffering with kidney disease are increasing and many will die before receiving a transplant.  What can we do?”  This was the impetus for Maureen to initiate an organ donor public awareness campaign and adopt the acronym SUC: Sign Up Canada with Kidneys on the Move which has since become an integral part of the Leadership Program at the University of Victoria School of Nursing and could expand across BC and Canada.

Maureen, an RN and sessional instructor, was preparing for a course when she had the idea to partner with nursing students and guide them to become ambassadors for raising awareness about kidney health and organ donation. 

She collaborated with the Kidney Foundation and the Schools of Nursing about the concept of volunteering as a field guide and subsequently invited 4 nursing students to conduct their community placement with her. 

Maureen envisioned how it was possible to mobilize nursing students and young adults in colleges and universities to make their wishes known about registering to become an organ donor. The participating nursing students reported they felt good about advocating for patients with kidney disease, promoting organ donor registration and about participating in such activities as hosting classroom presentations, participating in informational booths at the university and talking directly to their target audiences, who are primarily their peers and other university students.  

Ultimately Sign Up Canada with Kidneys on the Move is an attainable goal among nursing schools across Canada. Nursing students are in a perfect position to become knowledgeable ambassadors of kidney health, transplantation and making wishes known for organ registration.

Nursing students across BC are invited to become leaders with Sign Up Canada with Kidneys on the Move.  A kidney resource package is available for nursing students wishing to get involved.

For additional information, please contact us