Errin and Chris Willenborg are a perfect match – in more ways than one.
After a year-and-a-half of dating, Chris became Errin’s kidney donor.
“I didn’t really ever give it a second thought. I think that anybody would do what I did because you have the power to help the person that you love,” Chris told CTV News.
After Chris gave Errin his kidney, he gave her a ring.
“Because I had proof! I had proof we were perfect,” Chris said, laughing.
Before getting Chris’ kidney, Errin was waitlisted for five years.
She said she hopes wait times for people who need an organ donor will shrink in the wake of the province’ plan for a registry.
As part of the provincial budget, the Sask. Party has allotted more than $500,000 towards creating an organ donor registry.
“This is to allow people to very clearly show to their loved ones left behind, when that time comes, that they want to be an organ donor,” Saskatchewan Health Minister Jim Reiter told reporters after the budget was announced.
“Province’s with registries have a 90 per cent success rate than ones without is less than 50.”
The idea for the registry was partly sparked by Logan Boulet – the 21-year-old who died in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, and helped six people with his organs.
Following Boulet’s donation, thousands of Canadians became organ donors.
The Willenborg’s said they hope a similar effect will happen with Saskatchewan’s new registry – especially in case Errin ever needs a renewed kidney.
