BC Transplant

Directions Website Contact the practice

BC Transplant Privacy policy: http://www.phsa.ca/privacy BC Transplant (BCT), established in 1986, directs, delivers or contracts for all organ transplant services across BC.

Register as an organ donor: https://registeryourdecision.ca
**Please note, BC Transplant reserves the right to remove any information posted that jeopardizes donor and/or recipient confidentiality. As an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, BCT is funded through the BC Ministry of Health. BC Transplant oversees all aspects of organ donation and transplant as well as the B.C. Organ Donor Registry.

10/01/2026

Abby Peters-Swan had a natural instinct to care for others.

She looked after her younger twin sisters, spent summers surrounded by cousins on the Samahquam reserve, and was deeply connected to her family. As a young woman, she was also beginning to reconnect with her Indigenous heritage, learning to dance from her auntie and attending cultural workshops with her mother.

When Abby died at just 24 years old, her family faced an unimaginable decision. They ultimately chose organ donation because they believed Abby would have wanted to help others.

Her final journey was surrounded by family, song and prayer. As Abby was taken to the operating room, drummers led her through Abbotsford Regional Hospital while family, friends and staff lined the hallways to say goodbye.

That day, Abby gave the gift of life to five people.

Abby’s story is a powerful reminder that every donor is a person with a family, a community, a culture and a story that can continue to inspire others long after they are gone.

Read Abby’s story here: https://ow.ly/9iJR50ZTHOY

Fraser Health

CTA’s annual Transplant Trot is almost here! 💚🏃Join us on Sunday, September 27 at Burnaby Central Park, from 8:30 a.m. t...
09/22/2026

CTA’s annual Transplant Trot is almost here! 💚🏃

Join us on Sunday, September 27 at Burnaby Central Park, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., for a morning of celebration, connection and community.

The Transplant Trot brings together transplant recipients, donor families, living donors and members of the transplant community to celebrate the gift of life, raise awareness about organ donation and transplantation, and enjoy a fun 1 km or 5 km walk/run together.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Register and find more information: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/2026-bc-transplant-trot

Many landmarks have lit up for Living Donation Week from September 13-19 across Canada. We had many across BC also lig...
09/20/2026

Many landmarks have lit up for Living Donation Week from September 13-19 across Canada. We had many across BC also light up green for this amazing week including places in Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Nanaimo and Whistler. With every green landmark, we honour living donors and their choice to donate a part of their liver or one of their kidneys to someone else in need!

Did you happen to see any BC landmarks light up green?

Share with us below!

Megan’s scars are a visible reminder of two life-changing decisions — donating a kidney and then part of her liver.But M...
09/18/2026

Megan’s scars are a visible reminder of two life-changing decisions — donating a kidney and then part of her liver.

But Megan’s path to living donation really started back in childhood. She had a friend who was on dialysis and she remembers how unfair it felt that he couldn’t simply do the things other kids could do. She told herself that when she grew up, if she ever knew someone in need of a kidney, she would donate.

Well, no one close to her ever needed a kidney transplant but Megan eventually discovered that anonymous living donation was an option and for her, it felt like a no-brainer. In 2013, she donated a kidney.

Ten years later, Megan made the decision to donate again, this time giving part of her liver to someone in need.

Megan hopes to break down some of the misconceptions that stop people from considering living donation.

First, don’t count yourself out because you think you’re “too old” to be a living donor. Every potential living donor goes through an extensive medical evaluation to determine whether donation is safe for them.

Second, you don’t necessarily need to be a blood match with the person you’re hoping to help. Paired exchange can create opportunities for donation when a direct match isn’t possible, something many people don’t fully understand.

Third, if you follow your medical team’s advice, healing after living donation usually goes smoothly and you’ll be back to your pre-donation lifestyle sooner than you might think.

Megan’s healing journey is just one part of her story — and her scars are proof that giving the gift of life can become part of your story, too.

Who knew living donation would come with a bonus set of abs? 💚

For Tammy, becoming a living kidney donor was a decision that came quite naturally. After hearing that someone she knew ...
09/18/2026

For Tammy, becoming a living kidney donor was a decision that came quite naturally. After hearing that someone she knew was in need of a kidney, her first thought was, “I could do that!”

Tammy, a health care worker from Fraser Health, went on to donate a kidney anonymously through the Kidney Paired Exchange Program last October when she wasn’t a match for an acquaintance. For her, the decision felt aligned with who she is and how she tries to move through the world.

When asked about the most meaningful part of becoming a donor, Tammy shared:

“All along, I never felt that I was doing this grand gesture for someone. I was aware of being incredibly privileged to be able to do this. I live in Canada, where I trust the healthcare that is provided to me and I was employed by a Health Authority that allowed me to do this and not lose pay. Most significantly, I had the baseline health status to even be able to do this to begin with.

With all of that said, the morning after my surgery, the surgeon came in to say my other kidney was making urine in its new human home. For some reason that made me tearful. Tangible words that revealed that what I had done had made a difference.”

Tammy also found the experience easier than she expected and is grateful to know that life with one kidney can look much the same as life with two.

Her story offers a thoughtful perspective on living donation – one grounded not in recognition, but in gratitude for having the ability and opportunity to help someone else.

Living Donation Week gives us the perfect opportunity to express our gratitude. Write a message of thanks to your living...
09/16/2026

Living Donation Week gives us the perfect opportunity to express our gratitude. Write a message of thanks to your living donor, transplant recipient, doctor, surgeon, nurse, social worker, family, champion or whoever helped you along the way on your transplant or donation journey on the UHN Gratitude Wall and share the love!

We will definitely be making our mark on the wall as we know the network of people it takes to complete one transplant. We also know about the beauty, selfless actions and kind hearts of all donors and their families who CHOOSE to donate.

Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN

Add your message here: https://bit.ly/LDWGratitude26

Megan doesn’t often sit still. A big part of her lifestyle includes staying active after living donation, and she thrive...
09/15/2026

Megan doesn’t often sit still. A big part of her lifestyle includes staying active after living donation, and she thrives in this area.

Megan enjoys a variety of activities, including working out at the gym, doing the Coquitlam Crunch, golfing, walking her dog Shiloh and more. She prioritizes fitness and spending time outdoors, which helps her create balance in her busy professional life. When Megan was going through the process of being a liver donor, a few things stood out for her.

She was amazed at how extensively living donors are tested to ensure they have the best possible outcome for a healthy recovery. She was also impressed at Canada’s expertise in living organ donation.

One of the biggest takeaways for Megan was the ability to save someone’s life, whether you know them or not – and that feeling is something you get to carry with you forever. She was also surprised by how quickly you can return to your same level of activity and exercise after donation.

Today, Megan continues to prioritize fitness, the outdoors and the things she loves, showing that living donation can be an amazing experience while still allowing you to get back to doing what brings you joy.

Meet Debbie, a renal social worker at VGH’s Hemodialysis Unit who became a living donor when she donated a kidney to a f...
09/15/2026

Meet Debbie, a renal social worker at VGH’s Hemodialysis Unit who became a living donor when she donated a kidney to a friend (picture shared below).

Working in healthcare meant Debbie entered the living donation process with a strong understanding of the medical system. Becoming a donor gave her an entirely different perspective, one that deepened her understanding of what it truly means to be a patient.

As a healthcare professional, Debbie was used to supporting others through their healthcare journeys. As a living donor, she experienced the other side: navigating multiple teams and services, advocating for herself, seeking information, and relying on others for care and support.

The experience gave Debbie an even greater appreciation for the patients she serves, and for the resilience of those navigating healthcare in circumstances different from her own.

When asked what surprised her most about the experience, Debbie shared:
“The most significant is how doable and easy it was to donate a kidney and what our bodies are capable of. A healthy person can easily live a ‘normal’ life with one kidney and there are no additional risk factors or lifestyle changes to be made after donation.”
She also reflected on the unexpected emotional impact of donation – how meaningful the experience was, how privileged she felt to help her friend, and how grateful she was for the support of her community.

Debbie’s story is a reminder that living donation can change more than one life. It can also change the way we see healthcare, our communities, and one another.

Vancouver Coastal Health

09/14/2026

Living donation gives people the opportunity to help someone in need of a transplant by donating a kidney or a portion of their liver while they’re still alive.

Brothers Jimmy and David Van Ostrand grew up doing almost everything together: playing ball, family camping trips and, occasionally, getting into trouble. They were close, with a built-in best friend by each other’s side.
So when David was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis-primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare liver disease, and learned he would need a liver transplant, it was no surprise that Jimmy stepped forward as his living donor.

After a 10-year pause, the living donor liver transplant program returned to Vancouver General Hospital last year. Jimmy became the program’s first donor — giving a portion of his liver to his brother and giving David a chance at a new beginning.

“It’s wild...I can’t quite comprehend that there is literally a piece of me inside of him right now. I think the fact our medical advances allow that to happen is really just mind blowing.”

In the days leading up to his transplant, David’s health was deteriorating. His gums wouldn’t stop bleeding, his kidneys were beginning to fail, and he was struggling to think clearly.

Today, he gets to look ahead.

“Now, I get to start my life again, I get to see my two kids grow up. I’ve cried a lot of tears over how grateful I am,” he says. “It’s a very cool thing to have your big brother stand up for you like that, my best man.”

This Living Donation Week, we’re celebrating donors like Jimmy and the incredible possibilities of living donation — whether donating a kidney or a portion of a liver. 💚

Address

1770 West 7th Avenue, #260
Vancouver, BC
V5Z3X7

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when BC Transplant posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to BC Transplant:

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share

Category