Twenty years of friendship and a living kidney donation

Gordon is a 65-year-old man from the Cree lands of James Bay, more specifically from the community of Mistissini.  In October 2022, he was given the bad news that he was suffering from diabetes-related kidney failure. Since not all James Bay communities have dialysis centres, he would need to travel three times a week to the Montreal General Hospital to receive his dialysis. So, he and his wife moved to Montreal, far from their children, their landmarks, their culture and their activities with youth in the community.

It's at this point that his twenty-year friendship with Paul, a 67-year-old youth pastor, changed everything.

A gesture worthy of their friendship

Gordon had been through a difficult year of medical appointments. One day, Paul told him, “My friend, I want to give you my kidney, because I'm a universal donor.” At first, Gordon felt like accepting this incredibly selfless gift was out of the question. “I asked him what his wife and children thought about it, and he told me not to worry, that they were fine with it. So, I went to meet his wife in Ottawa. She just took me in her arms and told me to take it,” says Gordon.

“When I saw how much my friend was suffering, I went online to see what the age limit was for donating a kidney. I saw that I could still do it. I called my wife and children and told them about my decision. They weren't surprised. Gordon and I work with young people in  Mistissini, and I knew that I still needed him, that they all still needed him,” says Paul.

Over the next year, Gordon and Paul underwent numerous tests to ensure that the donation would be a success. Gordon says his wife's support was crucial. “She was always by my side, for every appointment, every test, every worry. I couldn't have got through this ordeal without her,” explains Gordon. On June 4, 2024, the big day arrived: Paul donated one of his kidneys to his good friend Gordon.

The importance of living organ donation

Dr. Emilie Trinh is a nephrologist with the Living Donor Program at the McGill University Health Centre. “It's important to know that a kidney from a living donor generally works better and lasts longer. We always make sure that donors are in excellent health and can continue to live a normal life after their donation,” emphasizes Dr. Trinh.

 

For more information on living organ donation, please contact:

Patricia Hooker
Living Donor Transplant Coordinator
Transplant Clinic McGill University Health Centre
[email protected]