Christine Kapeluck For Christine Kapeluck, transplantation has been truly transformative. At just 18 months old, she was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer that, despite its rareness, is also highly treatable if caught early. Luckily for Christine, removal of the affected kidney rendered her cancer free and she went on to live...
Once viewed as a last resort for individuals living with organ failure, transplantation is rapidly becoming the preferred treatment of choice for a variety of diseases. There has been a transformational shift in thinking about what constitutes post-transplant success with more attention than ever being given to quality of life. Dr. Tom Blydt-Hansen knows transplantation...
It is often said if you want an honest appraisal of a situation, ask a child. You are likely to receive an answer that does not underscore nor overstate reality. For eight-year-old liver transplant recipient Ian Sewell, this is especially accurate, “Transplant lets you be with your family. It is hard sometimes and hurts sometimes....
With a movement towards greater patient engagement in Canadian research, it has become even more important to involve our transplant community in the research we fund. One key way we endeavour to do this is by sharing updates on our funded projects with our community at our annual Celebrate Transplant Research event. This September marked...
The leaves are changing colour, kids are back to school and everyone has a pumpkin spice latte in hand. It is that unmistakable time of year – fall has arrived. At TRF we are taking a moment to reflect on the exciting and productive spring and summer we have had on the research front and...
What do purebred cattle, cross-country travel and nine grandchildren have in common? They are all part of Katrine and Ed Conroy’s unique love story. In the 37 years that Katrine and Ed have been married, they have weathered more adversity than most couples endure in a lifetime. Ed’s complicated health history began in 1991 when...
What an Eventful 2017! 2017 is now behind us and we looking ahead to 2018 with excitement and hope. It’s that time of year to take stock of the past year’s accomplishments, set goals for the year ahead and look forward to new experiences. That is likely how many transplant recipients and their families are...
The first ever Celebrate Transplant Research Event was a resounding success! The evening brought together a wide range of individuals including health care professionals, the public, transplant patients and financial donors. Everyone had their own reason for attending but it was evident that everyone shared an interest in and passion for transplant research. After the...