Become an organ donor now, urges Saskatoon awareness event

Monica Goulet has a good feeling this will be the year she gets a kidney transplant.

"I've been praying, I've been going to sweat lodge, I've had lots of people praying for me," she told the crowd at the One Life, Many Gifts organ donation awareness walk in Saskatoon on Saturday.

• Saskatchewan below Canadian average for organ donors
• Premier wants presumed consent system for Sask. organ donations

After her kidney failure was diagnosed in 2011, Goulet was put on the official waiting list in February 2015.  

With her sister and her son ruled out as potential donors, she now has to wait for an organ from a stranger who opted in to the organ donation system.  

While she waits, Goulet lives with a bag of dialysis solution that cleanses her failing kidney through a catheter.

Speaking before the awareness walk on Saturday, Goulet held the bag up to the crowd.

"I wanted to show you what I carry in my body every day," she said. "I do four of these exchanges per day."

Walk raises awareness

Goulet volunteered to speak before the walk, which started at the Saskatoon Farmers' Market, because she feels it's her role to advocate for change.

She said she wants to speak on behalf of those who cannot, particularly residents of Indigenous communities which are isolated from medical care.

Goulet wants to see the province introduce a presumed consent system in Saskatchewan, where organ donation rates are below the Canadian average.

"For one thing there is probably not as much awareness as there could be and this is why I volunteered to speak today, because I know there is a huge need, especially in the Aboriginal community," said Goulet, who is originally from Cumberland House in northern Saskatchewan.

Premier wants presumed consent

In September last year, Premier Brad Wall went against the recommendations of a provincial report, which said the province should stay with the opt-in system, by saying the government would still work toward presumed consent — a system that presumes a person has given consent for organ donation unless they indicate otherwise. 

Speaking at the walk on Saturday, Saskatoon Riversdale MLA and NDP health critic Danielle Chartier said awareness was only one part of the solution.

She was part of the committee that prepared the report recommending the government stay with the opt-in system.

Chartier said at the time there was no evidence to suggest presumed consent increased donations.

Instead, she said donor physicians who would advocate for donations, develop programs and educate front-line staff were a better way to improve the province's donation rate.

She told the crowd at Saturday's event she would fight for those recommendations to be introduced.

"So far, there's been little to no action on any of those recommendations," she said.