Kathy Wilson, a beloved CMH Foundation staff member, was just beginning to come to terms with the possibility that her kidneys might fail her completely. Then, one day, an unexpected phone call changed everything.
Kathy comes from a family with a history of chronic kidney disease (CKD). “In 2000, it started to become noticeable,” she recalls. “The Nephrologist told me I won't die, but I will probably need a kidney at some point.” As her kidney function continued to break down, she experienced chronic fatigue, turning everyday moments into uphill climbs. Two decades would pass. Her kidneys reached the brink of their functional limits working at about 10-15% function, making her eligible for the transplant list in April 2023.
She expected to wait a long time for a kidney. In fact, it can take several years before a recipient receives a kidney. “I wanted to live my life and have freedom—I couldn't. I needed blood tests and constant monitoring instead.” Around that time, she had a consultation with a surgeon to insert the tube for peritoneal dialysis—known as a catheter; a tube surgically inserted into the abdomen for patients with end stage kidney failure. At that point, her kidney function was 8%.
What she didn’t expect was to receive a life-altering phone call on Thanksgiving Day in 2023, less than a year after being put on the transplant list. She was asked to come in as a back-up recipient, “‘Would you be a back-up' they asked, and I thought…I may never have this chance again, so I said yes."
By 11pm the next day, she found herself on the surgery table: she was getting a new kidney.
“It was a lot of mixed emotions”
On one hand, she was elated about receiving a kidney so quickly. However, on the other side of that joy was grief. The kidney donor was a deceased donor, and Kathy’s only awareness of the kidney was that it was a young, healthy kidney:
“My thoughts immediately went to the family.”
“It still makes me emotional. It made me very emotional at the time, just thinking, wow, I’m celebrating, but then there’s a family who is mourning the loss of a loved one. I think about that a lot.”
After having some time to process her conflicting feelings, she finally feels that she is ready to write a letter to the family where she plans on expressing the depths of both her condolences and gratitude.
Kathy also feels grateful for the compassionate treatment she received from healthcare staff throughout the experience from start to finish, “It was really an eye opener about how important the work is that these people do.”
In her role as Senior Development Officer for the Foundation, Kathy is witness to how community donations and support circulate around the hospital. It was full circle; this experience allowed Kathy to see that impact first-hand.
In addition to gaining a new kidney, Kathy also gained a new perspective on life. She realizes how fortunate she is and appreciates every moment she has with her family, friends, and dog Willy.
All that to say, if even a small part of you is thinking about becoming a donor…
“Do it! So many lives can be changed by one person agreeing to donate.”
In Ontario, there are 1,400 people waiting for a life-saving organ. Your decision to register as a donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 others through tissue donation.
Visit www.beadonor.ca to register or to learn more.