Coquitlam couple shares living kidney donation story during Living Donation Week

Coquitlam couple Kate and Brian Chong are sharing their experience during September’s Living Donation Week to raise awareness of living organ donation. Brian donated a kidney to Kate.

Kate said she experienced chronic fatigue, persistent headaches and, at one point in 2011, lost her vision. She said an autoimmune disease she called IGA attacked her kidneys, causing high blood pressure and further kidney damage. With medication management and a deliberate healthy lifestyle, she managed with reduced kidney function for another six years.

Brian underwent months of intensive testing before the couple learned around mid-2017 that he could be her donor. He said he was prepared to support his partner once they learned she would need a transplant, although the experience was stressful. Kate said she had not imagined that the man she had just married would also be her kidney match.

Dr. Jagbir Gill, medical director of the Kidney Transplant Program at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, said there is a significant need for living-organ donations. He said between 500 and 600 people are waiting for a kidney transplant at any given time, while one in 10 British Columbians has some form of kidney disease. Gill encouraged people to learn about the process, saying kidney transplant success rates are high and that eligible donors can transform someone’s life.

Brian said he has maintained the same quality of life after donating, including completing 120-kilometre bike rides and half-marathons. The procedure also helped the couple fulfil their dream of having a family; as they mark their 10th anniversary, they have two children, aged four and six.