Interviewed by Katarina Zorcic and Christopher De Luca Can you tell us what you do as an epidemiologist? Dr. Alba: I do research mostly on prognosis and outcomes, specifically related to heart failure and mechanical circulatory support. For example, I look at ways to predict a prognosis using accurate models, what factors are associated with … Continue reading Dr. Carolina Alba – Cardiologist and Epidemiologist
Dr. Frederike Ambagtsheer- HOTT Project Coordinator
Interviewed by: Ashlyn Chou Dr. Frederike Ambagtsheer is an Assistant Professor at the Erasmus Medical Center (Erasmus MC) Transplant Institute in Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 2012 to 2016, Ambagtsheer coordinated the HOTT project, an international research initiative on human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal. This was an EU-funded collaboration between several European research institutions, … Continue reading Dr. Frederike Ambagtsheer- HOTT Project Coordinator
The Organ Priority Rule – Can it really save more lives?
By Armita Hamedi and Katarina Zorcic The total number of organ donations in the United States and Canada is rapidly increasing compared to previous years. The amount of people who are deciding to become deceased organ donors is increasing more than ever before, and there has been a record-breaking number of organ transplants performed in … Continue reading The Organ Priority Rule – Can it really save more lives?
Krista Connor- Advocate and Kidney Transplant Recipient
Interviewed by Albi Angjeli Krista Connor is a mother, wife, and high school teacher in the Niagara region. She inherited polycystic kidney disease, a genetic kidney illness, from her paternal side. She spent two and a half years on dialysis before she found a donor through the kidney exchange program run by the Canadian Blood … Continue reading Krista Connor- Advocate and Kidney Transplant Recipient
Dr. Alp Sener – Urology Chair/Chief, Clinician Scientist, Renal Transplant Fellowship Program Director, and Associate Professor of Surgery
Interviewed by Katarina Zorcic, Shreya Sharma, and Amy Kwon What interests you about the field of organ transplantation? Dr. Sener: The first thing is the patients – we have a really unique group of patients that are so grateful and so wonderful to work with. End stage renal disease is such a devastating disease. Unfortunately, … Continue reading Dr. Alp Sener – Urology Chair/Chief, Clinician Scientist, Renal Transplant Fellowship Program Director, and Associate Professor of Surgery
Reciprocal Altruism: An in-depth look at an incentive policy to increase organ donation
By Christopher De Luca and Katarina Zorcic Organ advocacy initiatives have made strides in informing Canadians about the increased need for organ donors. As highlighted by Amy Kwon in a prior article, 90% of Canadians express their support for the issue of our current organ shortage crisis. However, the focus now must shift to considering … Continue reading Reciprocal Altruism: An in-depth look at an incentive policy to increase organ donation
The Current State of Organ Donations in Canada
By Amy Kwon and Katarina Zorcic Organ donations are imperative and often life-saving medical treatments for many patients worldwide. There seems to be a disconnect between the public’s knowledge of the importance of organ donating and the number of organ donors, and there is undoubtedly a supply problem compared to the demand. In Canada, there … Continue reading The Current State of Organ Donations in Canada
Artur Ferreira – Kidney Donor
Interviewed by Katarina Zorcic and Armita Hamedi Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with us. Would you like to start off by telling us what organ you donated and who you donated that organ to? Artur: I donated my kidney 18 years ago to my son. When did you first find … Continue reading Artur Ferreira – Kidney Donor
The Organ Shortage: What We Can do to Increase Organ Donation in Canada
By Molly Friesen and Katarina Zorcic In Canada and other developed countries, organ donation rates have been relatively low. Despite national efforts, “supply has not kept pace with demand” (Caplan, 2016). Compared to other countries like Spain and the US, Canada’s organ donation rate is low. In 2019, the country’s deceased organ donor rate was … Continue reading The Organ Shortage: What We Can do to Increase Organ Donation in Canada
Disparities in Organ Donation Rates Among Different Demographic Groups in Canada
By Jenny Kang and Katarina Zorcic 91% of organ donors in Canada are Caucasian, even though this demographic only consists of 81% of the population (Li et al., 2015). Canada is home to a diverse population, with 22.3% belonging to a minority group. Of this subpopulation, most people belong to the East Asian, South Asian, … Continue reading Disparities in Organ Donation Rates Among Different Demographic Groups in Canada
Organ Advocacy Initiative 