True North Disability Services: Proud Member of the Living Donor Circle of Excellence

True North Disability Services is honored to join the American Society of Transplantation's (AST) Living Donor Circle of Excellence which was founded in 2020 by Dr. John Gill (St. Paul’s Hospital - Vancouver)’s tenure as President of the society. This program, in partnership with the Kidney Foundation of Canada and its BC & Yukon Branch since 2021, celebrates organizations that provide salary support to employees who become living organ donors, helping eliminate financial hardships associated with living donation. By implementing a policy to support any potential lost wages for living donors, we’re proud to demonstrate our commitment to saving lives and supporting those who choose to give this extraordinary gift.

Did you know:

- Wait time for a kidney can vary from a few months to several years.

- In 2022, 576 living donor transplants were performed in Canada

- As of December 31, 2023, 2,522 people were waiting for a kidney transplant in Canada 

- In 2023, over 90 people died while waiting for a kidney transplant

As a part of True North Disability Services, I’m personally inspired by this commitment. Having donated a kidney myself in 2013, I know firsthand the impact that organ donation can have—not only on the recipient but also on their families and community. In my case, I was inspired by a story I saw on Facebook, shared by a high school friend. It detailed the journey of a man who had lost his kidney function due to an infection. I was deeply moved by the thought of helping him regain his health and the opportunity to be there for his children, just as my own father had been for me. To my surprise, we were a near-perfect match!

Today, I am thrilled and proud that True North’s policy encourages others to consider this life-changing opportunity without financial worry.

At True North, having supported countless people on dialysis through the application for the Disability Tax Credit, we want our team members to know that if they choose to explore living donation, they’ll have both emotional and financial support from us. We’re grateful to the AST and the Kidney Foundation of Canada for their guidance and for highlighting this important cause.

For anyone interested in learning more about the Living Donor Circle of Excellence or exploring organ donation, please visit LivingDonorCircle.com.