In this powerful episode of Living Transplant, Fadia shares her deeply personal journey through kidney disease, receiving a living donor transplant from her sister, and now navigating a return to dialysis. With honesty and vulnerability, she reflects on the evolution of her mindset—from a “go, go, go” approach to one rooted in acceptance, rest, and self-compassion.

Fadia opens up about the realities of invisible illness, balancing motherhood and a demanding career in education, and the emotional complexity of asking for and receiving help. She also speaks to the power of community through the ACB Organ Health Committee, and how advocacy, culturally safe care, and representation are critical in improving outcomes for Black patients.

This episode is a reminder that transplant is not a cure, but part of a lifelong journey. Fadia’s story encourages listeners to slow down, speak up, and redefine what strength truly looks like.

• Living donor kidney transplant and sibling donation
• Returning to dialysis after transplant
• Redefining “balance” and embracing rest
• Invisible illness and “you don’t look sick”
• Motherhood, career, and chronic illness
• The importance of support systems and asking for help
• Patient advocacy and being the expert of your own body
• Navigating the healthcare system and medical mistrust
• Cultural safety and equity in organ donation and transplantation
• The impact of community: ACB Organ Health Committee

Learn more about living organ donation: www.livingorgandonation.ca

Living Kidney & Liver Donation at UHN: UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre

Information Sessions for potential donors: givelifeuhn.eventbrite.ca

Becoming a living donor: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Pages/become_living_donor.aspx

ACB Organ Health Committee & Green Table Talk: https://www.youtube.com/@acborganhealth

Black Health Alliance: https://blackhealthalliance.ca

Kidney Foundation of Canada – Living Donation https://kidney.ca/Get-Involved/Be-a-Living-Donor

Trillium Gift of Life Network – Organ Donation in Ontario

https://www.giftoflife.on.ca

Each episode, we share patient stories about organ donation from transplant recipients and living donors, along with insights and education from leading medical experts. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, a donor, or simply curious about the world of organ transplantation, you’ll hear expert advice and inspiring journeys of hope, resilience, and second chances.

About our Host

Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre. She is also a board member for the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. After she was diagnosed with kidney failure in her early 20s, she was on dialysis until receiving a transplant from her mother.

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at livingorgandonation@uhn.ca. Thanks for spending your time with us.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.

Emma didn’t see herself as brave — she simply saw a problem and knew she could help.

At 79 years old, Emma became a living kidney donor for her husband after he began dialysis. But the path to donation wasn’t straightforward. After initially being turned away during her first evaluation due to concerns about blood sugar levels, Emma refused to give up. She advocated for herself, gathered medical evidence from her family doctor, and wrote a heartfelt letter asking for a second chance to be assessed.

That persistence led her to the Toronto General Hospital Living Donor Program, where she was ultimately approved to donate.

In this episode, Emma shares the deeply personal journey of advocating for herself, navigating the evaluation process, and donating a kidney to the person she has spent her life with. She reflects on why she never felt fear about the surgery, how dialysis affected their lives together, and why she believes more people should consider living donation — regardless of age.

Now recovering just weeks after surgery, Emma is already looking ahead to what matters most: more time together, traveling again, and enjoying the life they’ve built side by side.

Her message is simple but powerful: if you are healthy and willing to help, one kidney can change someone’s life.

Links and Resources

Learn more about living organ donation: www.livingorgandonation.ca

Living Kidney & Liver Donation at UHN: UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre

Information Sessions for potential donors: givelifeuhn.eventbrite.ca

Becoming a living donor: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Pages/become_living_donor.aspx

Kidney Foundation of Canada – Living Donation https://kidney.ca/Get-Involved/Be-a-Living-Donor

Trillium Gift of Life Network – Organ Donation in Ontario

https://www.giftoflife.on.ca

Each episode, we share patient stories about organ donation from transplant recipients and living donors, along with insights and education from leading medical experts. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, a donor, or simply curious about the world of organ transplantation, you’ll hear expert advice and inspiring journeys of hope, resilience, and second chances.

About our Host

Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre. She is also a board member for the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. After she was diagnosed with kidney failure in her early 20s, she was on dialysis until receiving a transplant from her mother.

Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at livingorgandonation@uhn.ca. Thanks for spending your time with us.

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.