How Lung Transplant Turned a Dream of Fatherhood into Reality For Nick Kanaan a double lung transplant was not only lifesaving but also life-changing. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at birth, Nick was fortunate his CF remained relatively stable in his childhood and adolescence. His streak of good fortune ended in his mid-twenties when serious...
Growing up with a life-limiting illness did not stop 30-year-old Ali from dreaming big. Becoming a mother was one aspiration that Ali held close to her heart. However, her journey to motherhood did not come easily. Born with cystic fibrosis meant a childhood and adolescence filled with hospital stays, IV therapy and lung infections. At...
COVID-19 Treatments and Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Erin Waters Since the emergence of COVID-19, researchers have been racing to learn more about the virus. Science has come a long way since the world first heard of the novel virus back in late 2019. We now have better tools, including vaccines and treatment options....
Improving Viral Management for Pediatric Transplant Recipients: Renewing Hope Through Research with Dr. Karina Top Pediatric transplant recipients do not currently receive certain vaccines post-transplant as experts have deemed the live vaccines (including chicken pox, measles, mumps and rubella) to be a potential risk of infection. This leaves those children completely vulnerable in case of...
Transplantation means different things to different people. For Michel Grandbois, it meant over two decades of living and making memories with his family, and the chance to watch his children grow into adults and have families of their own. Michel’s transplant story began many years ago, in the mid-1990’s when transplant science was rapidly advancing...
Cindy Luo is passionate about seeking answers that help improve the transplant experience for patients in the transplant program at Vancouver General Hospital. As a past Research Challenge winner for her project on anti-fungal prophylactic use in lung recipients and her most recent Team Grant project that explores a more personalized approach to medication, Cindy...
COVID-19 and Transplantation: Finding Answers Through Research with Dr. James Lan As more becomes known about COVID-19, the need for knowledge specific to transplant recipients becomes increasingly important, especially given their unique immunosuppressed state. In British Columbia alone, more than 5,200 solid organ transplant recipients are living through the pandemic and navigating life in the...
With each breath, Miranda Frigon effortlessly feels her ribs expand as air enters her healthy new lungs. This is actually, her third set of lungs, so the act of breathing – something most people take for granted – is significant for Miranda. It renews her hope for the future and is a reminder that her...
It has been an exciting and invigorating year at the Transplant Research Foundation of BC (TRF). Our research portfolio continues to evolve as our partnerships become stronger, allowing for more diversity in the research we fund. 2019 was a robust year for our foundation, awarding $102,500 in direct research dollars to BC based scientists and...