It’s an issue that is impacting many Canadians across the country, but the severity of it hits home for Mount Forest resident Natalie Watson.
The 33-year-old was diagnosed with kidney failure after giving birth to her son, Landon, 10 years ago. During the pandemic her kidneys started to decline and she has started regular dialysis treatments at Guelph General Hospital.
Watson said she has pre-existing diabetes, a condition which can lead to one in every 10 people developing kidney disease.
On dialysis, her current life expectancy is five to 10 years unless she can secure a donor. Now, Watson has decided to reach out to strangers to find a match for herself.
“I was told to find a living donor because that would be faster.” said Watson in a recent interview. “When you’re only given five to 10 years … it’s not a lot of time.”
“So I’ve been advertising and taking it upon myself….I know there’s people who donate just because they want to, and I just thought, ‘It wouldn't hurt.’”
She started advertising after being told she was going to be placed on the transplant waiting list. She and her son began with putting up handmade posters in downtown Mount Forest, but thanks to a friend, she now has a sticker on her rear car window.
“I’m doing everything in my power with Facebook and then advertising on my vehicle. My son and I actually took markers and did my whole vehicle, but when it rains it comes off.” said Watson, “That’s why one of my girlfriends paid for the sticker for me.”
The process to find a donor has been ‘nerve-wracking,' and as a single mother, she hopes to connect with a willing canidate so that she can watch her son grow up.
Watson said Landon has been supportive throughout this whole experience and is her main motivation for getting better.
“I’ll do anything if it prolongs my life.” said Watson, “I’m not ready by any means [to say good-bye], and I definitely want to make more memories with my son.”
While Watson is in a tough situation, she is also one of many Canadians resorting to advertising their condition themselves in hopes of securing a kidney donor.
According to the Ontario Trillium Gift of Life Network, 1,188 people were on the transplant list for a kidney in 2019. Out of 742 kidney donations that were done last year in the province, 242 of donations were from live donors.
The Ontario chapter of The Kidney Foundation of Canada says on their website that 'individual appeals to the public for living donors may increase the number of kidneys available for transplantation,' and 'is in support of appeals that enable potential organ donors and recipients to connect for the purpose of living organ donation.'
However, the foundation adds a healthcare team 'is essential in determining suitability of the living donor/recipient match and the Foundation supports the use of rigorous evaluation protocols to ensure protection of both the living donor and transplant recipient,' and the living organ donor shouldn't be provided 'an economic incentive' for participating in the procedure.
In the meantime, Watson will continue to go through treatment and wait for the call of a stranger who can be a possible kidney match. She said she has only received two calls so far, but she is not giving up.
“It’s like a reset button for me,” said Watson about receiving those calls. “Like, ‘okay, people are noticing the vehicle.’ Anyway it gets out.”
