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Organ donors desperately needed

Okanagan numbers pale in comparison to provincial average
10848632_web1_180205-VMS-soulfair2
Diane Barry poses behind her booth at the Body & Sould Wellness Fair at the Vernon Recreation Complex Saturday. (Matthew Abrey/Black Press)

could have died waiting for an organ transplant. Just like the 29 people in B.C. who died last year waiting, or the 275 people in Canada.

But she was fortunate, and is alive today to tell her story.

Yet, it害羞草研究所檚 not her story that the Okanagan resident is so eager to share. It害羞草研究所檚 the that she hopes will inspire more people to step up to save lives.

害羞草研究所淒id you know that only 1,604 Vernon residents actually (newly) registered through the current registration method in B.C. (in 2016)?害羞草研究所 said 42-year-old Lim, who was diagnosed at 18 months and just celebrated her 19th anniversary since her kidney transplant.

The number of new registrants declined even further in 2017, which saw 1,113 people sign up.

Therefore Lim, and her husband, were in Vernon this weekend to help boost the numbers. They volunteered at the Body and Soul Wellness Fair Saturday and Sunday to help people register their decisions for organ donation.

But all Okanagan residents are urged to sign up by registering online ().

The numbers for the rest of the Okanagan are also concerning for recipients like Lim, as all regions are showing a decline except West Kelowna.

But BC Transplant credits the increase in 2016 to the launch of its partnership with ICBC where people could register their decision at driver害羞草研究所檚 licensing offices.

According to BC Transplant, the number of newly regisered decisions over the past two years are as follows (the numbers do not reflect actual organ donors, just how many people have registered a decision of either yes or no):

Kelowna:

  • 2016 - 4,613
  • 2017 - 4,467

Penticton:

  • 2016 - 1,927
  • 2017 - 1,340

Summerland

  • 2016 - 328
  • 2017 - 198

Osoyoos

  • 2016 - 108
  • 2017 - 74

Okanagan Falls

  • 2016 - 175
  • 2017 - 116

Kaledan

  • 2016 - 89
  • 2017 - 66

Princeton

  • 2016 - 63
  • 2017 - 35

West Kelowna

  • 2016 - 1,039
  • 2017 - 1,063

For Lim, a volunteer with the Canadian Kidney Foundation of Canada, B.C. and Yukon Branch and and B.C. Transplant, the reward is potentially saving lives.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been about paying back the Kidney Foundation for how much they have changed my life.害羞草研究所

Lim害羞草研究所檚 dad, who lives in Quebec, was her donor when she desperately needed a kidney 19 years ago.

害羞草研究所淭he Kidney Foundation was there in that they paid for his flight, paid for his wife to come,害羞草研究所 said Lim.

She is forever grateful and has spent the last 10 years volunteering and has raised $60,000 for the Foundation.

Lim thanks her lucky stars every day that the Kidney Foundation was around to help her.

害羞草研究所淚t was started in 1964,害羞草研究所 she said. 害羞草研究所淚f I was born 10 years before that I would be dead.害羞草研究所

Thursday, March 8 also marks World Kidney Day. March is Kidney Health Month, with a special focus on women, since March 8 is also International Women害羞草研究所檚 Day.



jennifer@vernonmorningstar.com

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10848632_web1_180305-VMS-donor
Edmund Lim signs up to become an organ donor with the Kidney Foundation of Canada at the organization害羞草研究所檚 booth at the Body & Soul Wellness Fair at the Vernon Recreation Complex Saturday. (Matthew Abrey/Black Press)
10848632_web1_180305-VMS-soulfair
Taylor Kelly (right), of Goodlife Fitness, shows Amanda Engel how her organization can be of benefit during the Body & Soul Wellness Fair Saturday at the Vernon Recreation Complex. (Matthew Abrey/Black Press)


Jennifer Smith

About the Author: Jennifer Smith

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