Living Transplant
Living Transplant is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes at the transplant program at Toronto General Hospital with the goal to educate, inspire and fuel your passion about transplant, with your host, Candice Coghlan, an Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation and kidney transplant recipient.
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The Other Side of the Hug
11/29/2024
The Other Side of the Hug
In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice Coghlan is joined by Winne Jerome who talks to us about her journey as a living donor to her sister through the Kidney Paired Donation Program, making that decision after having a premature newborn baby at home. She spoke about how when she found out she was able to donate a kidney to a stranger, so her sister would receive a kidney from a stranger, the excitement was too much to hold. We are later joined by Darlene Jagusic, a registered nurse who spent time supporting the Living and Deceased Donation Program in Saskatchewan, as well as being a critical care nurse in B. C. and Saskatchewan for many years. She is now the Program Manager for the Kidney Paired Donation and Highly Sensitized Patient Program at Canadian Blood Services. We discuss hope for those waiting, the details and intricacies of the Kidney Paired Donation Program, and the gratitude we have for organ donors. Please enjoy. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the offical policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. For more information about kidney transplantation, please visit: For more information about the Kidney Paired Donation Program, please visit: To watch Winnie & Fadia's story on Great Actions, please visit: greatactions.ca Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at . Thanks for spending your time with us.
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Take What You Need, Save My Baby
09/06/2024
Take What You Need, Save My Baby
In this episode of the Living Transplant postcast, host, Candice Coghlan was joined by Stephanie Dyriw, a living liver donor to her son. Stephanie was put in a situation no parent could ever imagine, when her healthy, three and a half year old son crashed into liver failure with no warning. Within days, Stephanie and the UHN team worked tirelessly to get the testing done in partnership with SickKids to test to find if she would be a match, and thankfully, within mere days, Stephanie became a living liver donor to her son, saving his life. We are later joined by Dr. Nazia Selzner, a transplant hepatologist and Medical Director of the Living Donor Liver Transplant Program at the Ajmera Transplant Centre, and Dr. Cynthia Tsien, Education Director of the Ajmera Transplant Centre. We spoke about diversity, equity and inclusion in transplant, both for professionals and for patients and families. We discussed how equity, diversity, and inclusion in transplant medicine are crucial to ensuring all patients have fair access to life saving treatments, regardless of their background, leading to better overall health outcomes, and how for professionals, fostering an inclusive environment enhances teamwork, broadens perspectives, and improves decision making, ultimately advancing the field and providing more comprehensive care. Please enjoy. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. For more information about Great Actions Leave a Mark, please visit greatactions.ca For more information about living liver transplant, please visit To register for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Transplant conference, please visit Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at . Thanks for spending your time with us.
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We are a Resilient Group
08/15/2024
We are a Resilient Group
In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host, Candice Coghlan, was joined by Manuel Escoto, the Patient, Family, Donor Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization Director at CDTRP, the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program alongside Sadia Baig, the Programs Coordinator at the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Ontario branch. What is the common thread between the three of us you might be thinking? Well, all of us are not only working in the field of transplant, donation and chronic illness, but we're all living with kidney disease diagnosed at a young age. We speak about being diagnosed with a chronic disease, the mental and physical roller coasters, working in a professional field that we also have a personal connection to, what it's like to connect with others who are going through something similar, and the importance of advocacy and having a strong network of support. Join the three of us as we dive into these topics in a unique episode where the people with lived experience are also the experts in the field. Please enjoy. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the offical policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. For more information about kidney transplantation, please visit For more information about CDTRP, please visit For more information about the Kidney Foundation of Canada, please visit Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at . Thanks for spending your time with us.
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It's Not Outrageous: Jillian Best's Epic Swim Across Lake Ontario
07/04/2024
It's Not Outrageous: Jillian Best's Epic Swim Across Lake Ontario
In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice Coghlan was joined by Jillian Best, the first organ transplant recipient and one in only 72 people to ever swim across Lake Ontario in all of recorded history. Jillian trained, swam and built her mental fortitude so she could swim across Lake Ontario in 18 hours and 36 minutes. She finished the historic 52 kilometer crossing to raise money for the transplant unit who saved her life and her mother's. We are later joined by Dr. Marie Faughnan, a Lung Specialist and HHT specialist at St. Michael's Hospital. As an avid cycler and physician, Dr. Marie was healthy and ready when a colleague of hers experienced liver failure and was in need of a life saving liver transplant. She asked herself, why not me? She went through the process of going from a physician to a patient and became a living liver donor to save her colleague's life. Throughout this episode, we talk about perserverence, commitment, sacrifice and doing hard things with extreme bravery. Please enjoy. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. For more information about living liver donation, please visit For more information about Jillian Best's swim across Lake Ontario, please visit To listen to Dr. Marie Faughnan's story and other living donors and recipients, please visit Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at Thanks for spending your time with us.
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I Don’t Want to Just Survive, I Want to Live
06/06/2024
I Don’t Want to Just Survive, I Want to Live
In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice, was joined by Dawn Ethier, a police officer and mother of four. Dawn had thyroid cancer over 10 years ago. The cancer was treated, but she was left with hypoparathyroidism, which caused horrible side effects, changed her lifestyle, and took a lot of time away from her family, her work, and her life. Dawn did a lot of research, and with her advocacy and ingenuity, brought the idea of a parathyroid transplant to her doctors, who eventually found Dr. Karen Devon, an endocrine surgeon at UHN's Sprott Department of Surgery. With only one other recorded case of this exact transplant in scientific literature, Dr. Devon was inspired by Dawn to do homework, connect with specialists around the world, and several years later, cured Dawn's hypoparathyroidism following a ground-breaking North American first procedure at UHN's Ajmera Transplant Centre. This changed Dawn's life, her family's life, and changed the future for patients. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. For more about Dawn’s story, and the team behind this North American first, please visit For more information about Ajmera Transplant Centre, please visit Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at Thanks for spending your time with us.
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My Mom is My Person
05/02/2024
My Mom is My Person
In this episode of the Living Transplant podcast, host Candice Coghlan was joined by Kelsey Hannah, an OR nurse and mother who went on a journey of health and wellness to lose weight to save her mother's life by donating a portion of her liver to her. We talked about her journey of self reflection, empowerment, dedication, and what it felt like to juggle life while the clock ticked down getting closer to her mother needing that gift of life of a liver transplant. We were later joined by Chantal Wiggins, a Transplant Coordinator at the Ajmera Transplant Centre in the Living Donor Liver Program. We spoke about the processes that donors have to go through to ensure their health and safety, memorable moments in her career, and what it feels like to get to be part of a team that truly saves lives. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. To learn more about living liver donation, please visit Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at Thanks for spending your time with us.
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A Piece of Me in Heaven
04/04/2024
A Piece of Me in Heaven
WELCOME TO SEASON 5! In this episode, host Candice Coghlan was joined by Vanessa Tait, a Cree woman from O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation who put her heart and soul into supporting her father, Kenneth, through his kidney health journey. She uprooted their lives to move from her father's home community of O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation, over 700km north of Winnipeg, to the city to access dialysis, as there were no hemodialysis machines and no capacity to do home dialysis, with the lack of access to large amounts of water needed. While in Winnipeg, Vanessa was his primary caregiver. We spoke about their journey together, the medical barriers they and many other First Nations patients face, and the decision for Vanessa to give the gift of life, a kidney to her father, despite his chances of survival being long so he could live his days out in community, surrounded by loved ones. We were later joined by Dr. Michael Anderson from the Urban Indigenous Community in Toronto. He is Mohawk Bear Clan and mixed European with family roots in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. He practices surgical oncology in palliative care medicine and is the strategic lead for Indigenous Health at the University Health Network. We spoke about ethical Indigenous community healthcare research partnerships, grief, healing, and Indigenous conceptualizations of death and dying. This episode is dedicated, in loving memory to Vanessa's "daddio", Kenneth. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at Thanks for spending your time with us. *** CONTENT WARNING*** A note to our listeners, this episode comes with a content warning as we discuss death, dying, and palliative care. We also discuss barriers to care for Indigenous communities. This is simply to empower you, our audience, with the knowledge that you may need to make healthy decisions about how or if you should consume this podcast content. If you need resources or support, you can visit the Hope for Wellness helpline, which offers immediate help to all Indigenous people across Canada, available 24/7 with immediate support and crisis intervention. You can call the toll free helpline at 1 855 242 3310, or you can connect to the online chat at hopeforwellness.ca. You can also reach out to the Bereaved Families of Ontario Organization at www.bereavedfamilies.net or call them at 416 440 0290. For more information about the UHN Indigenous Health Program, please visit: To watch Vanessa Tait's documentary, Gift to Give please visit: To watch Vanessa Tait's Great Actions Leave a Mark interview, please visit: To learn more about living kidney donation, please visit:
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Grateful for the Little Things
10/12/2023
Grateful for the Little Things
In this episode, host, Candice, is joined by Melissa Sidhu who works in healthcare, is a passionate volunteer and living liver donor to her brother over 10 years ago. We spoke about her journey as a donor, relationships with loved ones, how to find tiny moments of joy and gratitude throughout this episode. You will also hear clips from members of the transplant community sharing their gratitude. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network. To learn more about living liver donation, please visit To listen to all of our submissions of gratitude, please visit To read messages of gratitude, please visit
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I Choose Life
09/28/2023
I Choose Life
In this episode, host Candice Coghlan sat down with Afsana Lallani, a cat lover and nursing graduate who made a public social appeal to find a living liver donor to save her life. They talk about being young and living with a chronic illness, facing death and how a supportive community can make all the difference. They are later joined by Dilshad Lallani, Afsana’s mother, caregiver and a pediatric nurse practitioner. She speaks about the family journey in supporting someone on the transplant waitlist, being an emotional support and what it was like being a nurse practitioner living through the process with her daughter on the verge of death. The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network. For more information about PSC, please visit For more information about finding a living donor, please join one of the Centre's free virtual Finding a Living Donor Webinars, by registering at
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Pressure for Change
09/14/2023
Pressure for Change
In this episode, we're celebrating Living Donation Week. Host, Candice was joined by Sylvie Charbonneau, past president of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, advocate, change maker, and living kidney donor to her son. We were also joined by Dr. Joseph Kim, Director of the Kidney Transplant Program at the Ajmera Transplant Center. We discussed barriers and changes that need to be made to increase access to organ donation as a whole across Canada and how we can support others to receive and give the gift of life. For more information about living kidney donation, please visit For more information about the ODTC Collaborative, please visit If you have questions, please reach out to us at The views and opinions in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.
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Ajmera Transplant Centre's 2nd Annual Education & Research Conference
08/31/2023
Ajmera Transplant Centre's 2nd Annual Education & Research Conference
In this episode, host Candice, takes you behind the scenes of the Ajmera Transplant Centre's 2nd Annual Education and Research Conference, to hear about incredible science, clinical, and research aspects of transplantation. Hear from the following: Samrat Ray: Expanding the transplant pancreas donor, using an ex vivo perfusion model. Adriana Roberta: Determining the impact of certain mismatches, which are located in the DQ Loco and the development of chronic rejection. Javier Solera: The severity of COVID 19 Omicron variant and Omicron specific immune responses in solid organ transplant patients. Lakshmi Kugathasan: Systematic review and network meta analysis research in induction therapy in heart transplantation. Bonnie Chao: Machine learning approaches to processing and interpreting ex vivo lung radiographs and predicting transplant outcomes. Dr. Laura Donahoe: Improving the quality of lung transplantation through a technical skills simulation program for surgical lung transplant fellows. Christina Lam: Fibrinogen like protein 2 molecule and how it influences the development of thymic regulatory T cells. Luckshi Rajendran: The Toronto management of initially unresectable liver metastasis for colorectal cancer in a living donor liver transplant program. For more information about the Ajmera Transplant Centre's program, please visit For more information about Dr. Laura Donahoe's Take-Home Surgical Anastomosis Simulation Model, please visit: If you have questions, please reach out to us at The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.
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I've done this before, I can do it again.
08/17/2023
I've done this before, I can do it again.
In this episode, host Candice Coghlan was joined by Justin Poy, a father, entrepreneur, and businessman who has lived with multiple types of renal replacement therapy since the age of 10, including three kidney transplants, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, as well as home dialysis. Justin spoke about mental health, resiliency, parenting with a chronic illness, and how to appreciate each day. Later we were joined by Dr. Samantha Anthony, the first person to hold the title of Health Clinician Scientist in Canada, Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Social Work, Child Health Evaluative Science Research Institute at SickKids. Together, we explored the medical journey and tools to support children, youth, and families created from the perspective of those who live with it. We also spoke about post traumatic growth and the whole family journey. For more information about peer support, please visit For more information about living kidney donation, please visit For more information about Dr. Samantha Anthony's work, please visit If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to us at The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.
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Playing with New Lungs
08/03/2023
Playing with New Lungs
In this episode, host Candice Coghlan sat down with Tara Lisabeth, who received not one, but two double lung transplants at a young age. She spoke about life with cystic fibrosis, what it felt like to take deep breaths and how transplant gave her the opportunity to walk down the aisle and get married. Later we were joined by Dr. Marcelo Cypel, the Surgical Director for the Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN and UHN ECLS Program, among many other accolades, who also performed Tara's first double lung transplant. He spoke to us about innovations to expand the donor pool and create more viable lungs for transplant with therapies like light based therapy to inactivate hepatitis C virus, a universal blood type, lung preservation and repair with Ex Vivo, and what it is like leading and being part of a team who has now celebrated the 3000th lung transplant. For more information about Cystic Fibrosis, please visit: For more information about the UHN Lung Transplant Program, please visit: For more information about the Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System, please visit: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily relfect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.
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Completely Insulin Free
07/20/2023
Completely Insulin Free
In this episode host, Candice Coghlan sat down with Craig Lindsay, the Senior Manager of Programs and Public Policy for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Ontario Branch. Craig not only works tirelessly supporting this community, but he's also part of it, having lived with diabetes, which eventually caused his kidneys to fail. Craig did home dialysis for many years before receiving a kidney/pancreas transplant, curing his diabetes. Later, we were joined by Dr. Trevor Reichman, Surgical Director of the Pancreas and Islet Transplant Program and Associate Professor of Surgery at University of Toronto. He spoke to us about the life saving and life changing innovation behind pancreas and islet stem cell transplants. We hear about the minimally invasive procedure with islet stem cells, and how the end of type 1 diabetes could be in our near future, changing the quality of life for millions of Canadians. For more information about the Kidney Foundation, please visit For more information about the Pancreas and Islet Stem Cell Transplant Program, please visit . For more information about Dr. Reichman's stem cell therapy work, please visit The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.
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I've Learned to Walk 3x in My Life
07/07/2023
I've Learned to Walk 3x in My Life
In this episode, host Candice Coghlan sat down with Shilpa Raju, an epidemiologist who finished her degree while battling cancer. She survived the cancer, however unfortunately the side effects from her treatment caused severe lung damage, resulting in her need for a double lung transplant. Shilpa spoke about being a young person battling illness and trying to keep a sense of normalcy and positivity through her day to day. Later, we were joined by Dr Mamatha Bhat, a staff hepatologist and clinician scientist at UHN's Ajmera Transplant Program and University of Toronto's division of gastroenterology. She speaks to us about machine learning and AI implications for health care and how it is going to revolutionize the world of transplant and beyond. To learn more about Dr. Bhat's research in Artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning in liver transplant visit: For information about living organ donation visit or You can also reach out to us directly at The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.
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Waiting for the Science to Catch Up
06/22/2023
Waiting for the Science to Catch Up
Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Darryl Wallis, who was diagnosed with Hollow Visceral Myopathy at age one. He grew up in and out of hospitals and unable to eat, but about 16 years ago, he received a multi-organ transplant including a liver, bowel, stomach and pancreas, which gave him his life back. He was able to have a family and become a pharmacist and a few years ago, Darryl's son was diagnosed with the same disease. He also received a multi-organ transplant by the same surgeon, Dr. Anand Ghanekar, who is our expert guest. Dr. Ghanekar's practice focuses on abdominal organ transplantation. He joins us to discuss the rarity of multi-organ transplants and the privilege it is to have the opportunity to restore somebody from certain death to almost a normal life, and the personal connection he has to the success of his patients. To learn more about the multi organ transplant program visit Want to register your consent to be an organ donor when you pass? Want to see if you are a registered organ donor? Visit and don't forget to tell your family about your wishes. You can also reach out to us directly with any questions at The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network.
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The Rest of Your Sight Life
06/08/2023
The Rest of Your Sight Life
Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Amber Needham and her living eye stem cell donor, Kathy O'Toole. They discuss how Amber lost her eyesight twice from unique situations. Amber, Kathy and Candice talk about their remarkable journey as Amber went from 2020 vision to blindness and how she was given a second chance with sight when Kathy donated stem cells from her eye. They are later joined by Amber's ophthalmologist, Dr. Clara Chan, who talks about fascinating innovation in science with stem cell transplants, the healing properties of amniotic membranes, and how her work is a lesson in humanity and the strength of patients. To purchase Amber's book, The Blind Girl Sees, visit: To learn more about Amber's charity work visit: If you are interested in learning more about stem cell donation you can visit: Or reach out directly to us at The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network.
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I Got My Voice Back
05/25/2023
I Got My Voice Back
Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Ivica, an opera singer who loves baking, teaching others, and above all else, his family. Ivica discusses his journey with kidney failure and how his brother stepped forward to be his donor, giving him back the strength to sing beautifully. Later we're joined by Margot Mitchell, a retired social worker who worked at UHN for over 20 years. She speaks of the importance of good mental health and how we can all move through grief to gratitude. To listen to more of Ivica's singing, check out @onetenorthreekidneys If you are looking to connect with Peer Support, visit the Kidney Foundation at UHN's Coping with a Transplant manual Or reach out directly to us at to connect with someone to share experiences. The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the offical policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network.
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The Queen of My Heart Function
05/11/2023
The Queen of My Heart Function
Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Charles Cook, an incredibly brave and vibrant person who is a heart and kidney transplant recipient. After far too many close cases with death, Charles has implemented the life motto of ‘keep bangin’. Charles and Candice are later joined by the one of a kind cardiologist, Dr. Heather Ross who is highly decorated with awards like Canadian Geographic’s top 100 Explorers and the Order of Canada. She talks about football, her childhood, Testing Your Limits and why the patient journey to her, is more than just treating the disease. With special guest Millie, the Myers parrot. To read more about Charles’ journey, visit: To read more about Dr. Heather Ross & Testing Your Limits, visit: For more information about the ACB Organ Health YouTube Channel, visit: The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network.
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BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Paul
04/27/2023
BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Paul
In September, 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave a Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients from across Canada. This week you will hear another story from a great actions model about their journey with living organ donation. In this episode, host Candice was joined by Paul. Paul’s partner was diagnosed with kidney failure and told him about the three possible paths he could go down. Paul acted without hesitation, thinking he would be a good candidate. After vigorous testing, Paul and his partner found out he was a wonderful match, and they had a successful transplant. The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit or share your story, please reach out to us at To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, please visit
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BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Ian
04/13/2023
BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Ian
In September 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave a Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. In this episode, Host Candice is joined by Ian Goodall-George, who self proclaimed himself as the poster child for boring, but is anything but that. Ian is an anonymous, non directed kidney donor, meaning he stepped forward to donate a kidney to a stranger, just out of the goodness of his heart. The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit or share your story, please reach out to us at To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, please visit
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BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Ashley
03/30/2023
BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Ashley
In September 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave a Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. In this episode, Host Candice is joined by Ashley, a world traveller and horseback rider who donated a kidney to a stranger through the Kidney Paired Donation program. The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit or share your story, please reach out to us at To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, please visit To learn more about the Kidney Paired Donation program, please visit https://www.blood.ca/en/about-us/media/kidney-paired-donation/backgrounder-kidney-paired-donation-program#:~:text=The%20national%20Kidney%20Paired%20Donation%20(KPD)%20program%20is%20an%20interprovincial,become%20a%20living%20kidney%20donor.
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BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Craig
03/16/2023
BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Craig
In September, 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave A Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. In the coming weeks, you'll hear stories from great actions models about their journey with living organ donation. In this episode, Host Candice interviewed Craig Settee, a family man and marathon runner who donated a kidney to his brother just over ten years ago. The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit your story, please reach out to us at To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, visit To learn more about organizations discussed in this podcast please visit: Ajmera Transplant Centre: CanSolve CKD: BC Transplant: Transplant Manitoba: TAP: Living Donor Circle of Excellence: PRELOD: Hope Air:
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BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Jaime
03/02/2023
BONUS: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Jaime
Bonus Episode: Great Actions Leave a Mark - Jaime In September, 2022, we launched Great Actions Leave A Mark, a national, multi-year public awareness campaign about living organ donation and transplantation. It has images and videos of living kidney and liver donors and recipients across Canada. In the coming weeks, you'll hear stories from Great Actions models about their journey with living organ donation. In this episode, host Candice is joined by Jaime Watt, whose partner donated a kidney to him. The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit your story, please reach out to us at To view the Great Actions Leave a Mark campaign, visit
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BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Len
02/16/2023
BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Len
Bonus Episode: Remember This Living Donation - Len During Living Donation Week 2021, we partnered with the podcast, Remember This, with host Amanda Cupido to highlight first person living organ donation stories submitted through an online app. In this episode, Len shares his story as a double anonymous, non-directed living donor, which means he donated a portion of his liver to a stranger, then he donated a kidney to a stranger! The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit your story, please reach out to us at [email protected] For more information about Living Liver Donation visit https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/living_liver_donor.aspx
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BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Glenna
02/02/2023
BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Glenna
Bonus Episode: Remember This- Glenna During Living Donation Week 2021, we partnered with the podcast, Remember This, with host Amanda Cupido to highlight first person living organ donation stories submitted through an online app. In this episode, Glenna shares her journey as a non-directed, living anonymous donor, meaning she donated 62% of her liver to a stranger! Enjoy! The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit your story, please reach out to us at [email protected] For more information about Living Liver Donation visit https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/living_liver_donor.aspx
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BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Katie
01/19/2023
BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Katie
During Living Donation Week 2021, we partnered with the podcast, Remember This, hosted by Amanda Cupido to highlight first person living organ donation stories submitted through an online app. In this episode, Katie shares her journey as a living liver donor to her husband Simon and its impact on their family. Enjoy! To submit your story, please reach out to us at For more information about Living Liver Donation visit
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BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Palma
01/05/2023
BONUS EPISODE: Remember This Living Donation - Palma
Bonus Episode: Remember This- Palma During Living Donation Week 2021, we partnered with the podcast, Remember This, with host Amanda Cupido to highlight first person living organ donation stories submitted through an online app. In this episode, Palma shares her journey as a living liver donor to her cousin Jess. Enjoy! The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network. To submit your story, please reach out to us at For more information about Living Liver Donation visit
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Cancer Muggles & James Bond
12/22/2022
Cancer Muggles & James Bond
Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Natalie Theron, a liver transplant recipient who was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer the day before she gave birth to her daughter. After an incredible journey with cancer trials, chemotherapy, a HAIP pump and hospital stays, Natalie’s husband became her liver donor, effectively curing her liver cancer. Candice and Natalie speak about rollercoasters, motherhood, bravery and cancer muggles. Candice and Natalie are joined by her liver transplant surgeon, Dr. Gonzalo Sapisochin, whose innovative research is opening opportunities for patients to have living liver transplants to live longer lives, and for some people to be cured of their liver cancer. To read more about Dr. Gonzalo Sapisochin’s research, visit: . To read more about Living Liver Donation, visit: To read more about the Living Liver Transplant Program at UHN, visit: To read about Natalie’s art installation, visit: The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network.
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Team Delfina
12/09/2022
Team Delfina
Host Candice Coghlan is joined by Team Delfina: Betsy Amores, Peter Budziak and their two amazing children, liver transplant recipient Delfina, and big brother Matthew. Peter and Betsy talk about their family’s journey with Delfina, who was diagnosed with biliary atresia, and later needed a living liver transplant to save her life. After a large media campaign and a surgery on her liver, mom Betsy became Delfina’s living liver donor. They speak about the impact it has had on their family, how to they love sports and supporting others going through similar journeys. Candice and Delfina’s family are joined by Delfina’s doctor, Dr. Vicky Ng, a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto, staff physician in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and Medical Director of the Pediatric Liver Transplantation Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Centre at SickKids Hospital. They speak about biliary atresia, the transplant process, and how flying pigs, and clowns are just a couple of reasons why Sick Kids is one incredibly special place. To read more about Team Delfina’s transplant journey visit: To read more about the Living Liver Transplants at Sick Kids visit: To read more about the Living Liver Transplant Program at UHN visit: To read about Dr. Vicky Ng’s research, visit: The views and opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or the University Health Network.
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