Saskatchewan reports a record number of organ and tissue donations

The Ministry of Health says over the last fiscal year there were 30 deceased donors of organs and tissue.

In 2021, the province reported 26 organ donations, a number it targeted for 2023. Last year, a surge in COVID-19 cases forced the province to pause its transplant program, resulting in 19 organ donors.

“It’s nothing short of a miracle,” recent donor Brent Kruger said.

Kruger knows the process of organ donation all too well. He donated his kidney to Deb Onishenko in February, after seeing an advertisement she had written onto her car.

Now, Kruger is the advertisement as he eagerly talks about the benefits of organ donation to anyone who asks.

“I can’t talk about it enough because it’s so satisfying to see Debbie doing so well now and I am super humbled about that fact that I’ve been able to be the walking billboard of organ donation,” Kruger said.

Last year, 46 adult kidney transplant surgeries were completed in Saskatchewan, the second highest in one year. The record of 51 was set in 2019-2020.

There are currently 800 Saskatchewan residents living with a donated organ.

"Transplantation is a massive team effort. Patients who are waiting for a transplant have often been dealing with organ failure for a long time, spending a lot of time in hospitals and not knowing if they'll get the transplant they need in time," Dr. Moser, head of the Saskatchewan transplant team, said in a provincial news release.

"Once they do receive their transplant, which is often called 'the gift of life,' most patients experience a remarkable turnaround almost immediately.”

However, the transplant surgeon admitted it wouldn’t be possible without “organ donor heroes.”

“The opportunity just fell into my lap to share my story, to share Debbie’s story, and I’m running with it,” Kruger said.

“I’ll shout it from the rooftops.”