Canadian Blood Services volunteers Ken MacLeod and Elizabeth Black are the kinds of people who would give a kidney to a complete stranger.
After watching both Ken’s father and family friend die of kidney disease after years of dialysis, the married couple decided to become living organ donors. Ken donated his kidney last year after Elizabeth donated hers in 2013.
“I was so taken by their courage and their spirit and going through dialysis treatments that are pretty horrendous,” Elizabeth says. “It was such a meaningful thing for me to do to help somebody else (because) I couldn’t help them. But I didn’t want the difficulties they went through to go unmarked or unnoticed or unappreciated, and so I passed on their courage to making a donation to somebody else.”
Ken says the process was meaningful for him as well.
“In the process with my wife Elizabeth, we were able to meet people who were recipients of kidneys and on the list to receive kidneys, and better understand how much a positive change that is,” Key says, “Not only for that person, but for their families (and) for their economic well-being.”
Ken and Elizabeth joined a kidney donor chain with Canadian Blood Services. In the chain, a person who wants to donate to someone but is not a match gives their kidney to the next person in the chain, and an anonymous donor then gives their kidney to the intended recipient.
Ken and Elizabeth regularly volunteer with Canadian Blood Services and have been regular blood donors since the early '70s.
“Being a blood donor for many years, I know the blood is being used for various purposes, and I know you’re helping somebody, but you’re not necessarily knowing how,” Ken says. “Being a living donor, you actually get to experience that. Same thing can happen for families who support people who do deceased donations. The family can also feel a sense that they are helping transfer that essence of life to somebody else.”
National Volunteer Week coincides with Canadian Blood Services’ National Organ and Tissue Awareness Week April 24-28.
