An Interview with Aggie Black Director of Health Services & Clinical Research and Knowledge Translation, Aggie Black is no stranger to the world of research. As a leader in practice-based research programming at Providence Health Care, Aggie knows the value of investing in organ donation and transplant science to improve patient care. Recently, Aggie embarked...
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...
As a young couple, Niilo Edwards and Rachael Durie have endured more adversity than most people their age. After nearly a decade of marriage, they were faced with a shocking diagnosis that forced them to pause and re-examine the future. It was July 2018 when Niilo began experiencing persistent fatigue and a cough. As a...
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....
Offering Support and Connection to Patients Seeking Kidney Transplantation with Christina Schellenberg and Jody Max Christina Schellenberg and Jody Max are two health care practitioners at St. Paul’s Hospital who are passionate about improving the overall health journey for patients living with end-stage renal disease and facing transplant. For many patients with kidney failure, transplantation...
“I remember each and every one of the patients that I have been lucky enough to look after – I learn something from every patient that I have cared for.” – Dr. Kathryn Armstrong In honor of heart month, we had the opportunity to catch up with BC Children’s Hospital pediatric cardiologist Dr. Kathryn Armstrong....
Tailoring Post-Transplant Care for Recipients: Why Research Matters with Dr. Sara Belga For the past three years, TRF has partnered with Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) to fund highly rated transplant-focused research projects through the Team Grant program. These $30,000 awards seek to answer research questions that matter to patients, while addressing key areas...
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...