The kidney community newsletter | Winter 2017

WINTER 2017

The Kidney Foundation of Canada – Quebec Branch

newsletter

ORGAN DONATION

The Foundation helps promote the film “Réparer les vivants” page 9

NEWS FROM THE CHAPTERS

Marie-Josée Lord shines at the New Lease on Life concert page 4

ORGAN DONATION

A living donor’s story page 8

Dr. Marie-Josée Hébert receives the 2016 Medal for Research Excellence page 10

The personal information you have provided is used only to send you this newsletter. If you no longer wish to receive it, please e-mail us at infoquebec@kidney.ca or call us at 514-938-4515.

Dear readers: Help enrich our newsletter by sharing your experiences with kidney disease or transplants! Please send a text of up to 300 words, along with a high-resolution photo, to infoquebec@kidney.ca.

COORDINATION AND WRITING Antoine Ardiley GRAPHICS AND PUBLISHING Ardecom PRODUCTION Ardecom CONTACT US: The Kidney Foundation of Canada – Quebec Branch 2300 René-Lévesque Blvd West, Montreal, QC H3H 2R5 TELEPHONE 514-938-4515 or 1-800-565-4515 FAX 514-938-4757 E-MAIL infoquebec@kidney.ca Circulation : 10,000 copies The newsletter is published three times a year by the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. Distributed in English and French to all people suffering from kidney failure, these publications provide valuable information on the Foundation’s services and activities, including the latest news about kidney disease and organ donation.

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, its directors, employees or members.

Moving? Write us at: infoquebec@kidney.ca.

Articles may be reproduced provided that proper credit is given.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

It was with great pleasure that I agreed to serve as Foundation President in May 2016.

My story is a simple one. In fact, it’s a lot like some of your own stories. A beautiful family, a loving, happy couple and good, beautiful and healthy children. How many times did my husband and I say to one another that we’re so lucky to be healthy and that our kids are too. There’s nothing more precious in life than your health, because you can’t buy it—you can’t find it on a store shelf or order it online.

But one day, illness came knocking at our door: our son told us that he had just been diagnosed with kidney disease, which would eventually mean dialysis or a transplant. He still had a few years to go until that happened, but with a very strict diet, a gradual loss of energy and the need to give up sports at some point— Benoit is a strong swimmer and plays water polo—to save whatever strength he has left.

Of course, our first thought was “Why him? Why us?”

And I remembered a report I had heard on the radio.

There were two men, and each had a wife with kidney disease who was awaiting a donor. The men weren’t compatible with their own wives, but they realized that they might each be a match for the other man’s wife.

How does the story end? A paired donor exchange.

Wow, that report really made an impression on me at the time, who knows why.

After discussing it with my husband and son, we decided to take steps to become potential living donors. Of course, there were all the compatibility tests, medical exams and kidney health tests to deal with. Over the course of that process, I wanted to meet people who, like us, were experiencing or had already lived through kidney disease. I met the father of a 14-year-old girl who was born with an impaired kidney and had already had around 20 operations. I also spoke with a coworker who had recently given one of his kidneys to his 20-year-old niece. She’d had a transplant before, but her body had rejected it. I realized that my son’s case wasn’t unusual.

I discovered that kidney disease doesn’t affect only the elderly. It can also strike young people, and when I say young, I mean really young… kids! I also found

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The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2016

SYLVIE CHARBONNEAU

out that there’s no cure for kidney disease, only palliative solutions—dialysis and transplants. And even then, transplants aren’t a permanent solution: most recipients will need to undergo a second transplant at some point in their life.

From that moment on, I knew I wanted to get involved.

I’ve spent a good part of my career helping businesses and organizations implement change. So I wanted to take that professional experience and put it to use furthering the kidney disease cause. There’s probably a little idealist in me who dreams of changing the world.

I know I can’t change the world single-handedly— there’s also a little realist in me somewhere too. But I know that if we join forces, we can advance our cause.

So I ask you to take a few simple measures: sign your organ donor card, talk to your family and friends about it and keep an eye on your health—high blood pressure and diabetes can trigger kidney failure. Help me make my dream, a world without dialysis, come true because then we will have found a way to beat kidney disease!

Sylvie Charbonneau President The Kidney Foundation of Canada | Quebec Branch

TO SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION

THE FOUNDATION TO TAKE PART IN THE 2017 SCOTIABANK CHARITY CHALLENGE Do you enjoy running and love a good challenge? Then we’ve got just the thing for you! Join the Foundation and take part in the next Scotiabank Charity Challenge. It’s a chance to participate in a major sporting event while raising money for a good cause.

The Scotiabank Charity Challenge will take place on April 22 and 23, 2017, at Jean-Drapeau Park in Montreal.

The event will feature a number of races-choose between the Montreal kids’ race and the 5K, 10K and 21K races.

In 2016, the 66 participating charities raised a total of $1.2 million.

For more information, contact Patrick Marais at 514-938-4515, ext. 233, or patrick.marais@kidney.ca

DONATE YOUR CAR TO THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION With icy weather and hazardous driving conditions upon us, you might be worried about driving your old clunker through yet another winter.

PROUD PARTANER OF THE KIDNEY-CAR PROGRAM

Sometimes you have a hard time starting it and every winter, you ask yourself whether it’s time to finally get rid of that car because of all the time and money spent.

The easiest solution? Donate it to The Kidney Foundation of Canada!

In addition to free towing, you’ll get a tax receipt for $300. You won’t have to worry about a thing: just call 1 888-228-8673 (seven days a week) or complete the Kidney Car form online at kidney.ca/kidneycar.qc. In addition to doing a good deed, you’ll be taking your car out of circulation and helping to keep the roads safe while meeting environmental standards governing auto parts recycling.

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

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NEWS FROM THE CHAPTERS

MARIE-JOSÉE LORD SHINES AT THE NEW LEASE ON LIFE CONCERT FOR THE FOUNDATION

Many thanks to the event’s sponsors

PROUD PARTNER OF THE KIDNEY-CAR PROGRAM

The 2nd annual New Lease on Life concert for The Kidney Foundation of Canada took place on November 11, 2016, at the Maison symphonique. World-renowned soprano Marie-Josée Lord performed a number of works from the classical repertoire ranging from Carmen to West Side Story, La Bohème, Faust, La Traviata and Aida. Ms. Lord was accompanied by the Orchestre Métropolitain conducted by Dina Gilbert.

Many thanks to our generous donors

The event raised money for the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada to fund medical research, deliver patient services, advocate for access to quality healthcare for all Quebecers and promote organ donation.

Desjardins

The Foundation would like to thank all the spectators for coming out, all the volunteers who helped organize the event and all the sponsors who supported it.

Sanofi

Amgen Astellas Paul A. Fournier Foundation Jess and Mark Pathy

THE JEAN-JACQUES BÉGIN BENEFIT DINNER RAISES $22,200 FOR THE FOUNDATION On November 4, 2016, the 22nd edition of the Eastern Townships Chapter’s Jean-Jacques Bégin Benefit Dinner raised $22,200 for the Foundation.

THE HONOURABLE MARIE-CLAUDE BIBEAU

DR. FRANÇOIS-XAVIER CAILLÉ

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The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

The 22nd edition of the Jean-Jacques Bégin Benefit Dinner for The Kidney Foundation of Canada was hosted by Honorary Co-Presidents Marie-Claude Bibeau, MP for Compton-Stanstead and Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, and Dr. François-Xavier Caillé, emergency room physician at CHUS. Nearly 175 guests came out to support the Foundation and people with kidney disease.

NEWS FROM THE CHAPTERS

A FASHION SHOW IN BAIE-SAINT-PAUL RAISES NEARLY $1,400 FOR THE FOUNDATION A benefit cocktail event and fashion show for the Foundation was organized by Madame Butterfly boutique and held on October 21, 2016, at the St-Hilarion Parish Hall near Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix Region.

A number of area fashion-related businesses were there, and makeup and hairdressing workshops were open to everyone who came. When all was said and done, 150 people attended the cocktail event and 275 watched the fashion show, raising nearly $1,400 was raised for the Foundation along the way.

FROM LEFT: MARYSE NÉRON, REGIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE QUEBEC CHAPTER, CINDY PELLETIER, MADAME BUTTERFLY OWNER AND HER SON LOHAN

The Foundation wishes to express its deepest appreciation to young entrepreneure Cindy Pelletier, the boutique’s owner, for her involvement and commitment to her community.

To follow the boutique on Facebook: facebook.com/madamebutterflybsp

A SPAGHETTI SUPPER IN TROIS-RIVIÈRES RAISES NEARLY $3,000 FOR THE FOUNDATION On October 16, 2016, a lovely fall Sunday, a spaghetti dinner was held by the Mauricie/Centre-du-Québec Chapter, bringing together nearly 200 people.

Diners enjoyed the homemade meat sauce made by Marie-Josée, a well-known volunteer from the region. During the event, a performance showcased some of the Chapter’s talented members.

All those who took part were delighted and hope to do it all over again next year.

THE NEPHROLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION AT QUEBEC CITY’S HÔTEL-DIEU HOSPITAL HANDS OVER $25,000 TO THE FOUNDATION The Foundation wishes to thank the nephrologists at Hôtel-Dieu Hospital for their great generosity.

In 2016, The Nephrologists’ Association at Quebec City’s Hôtel-Dieu Hospital handed over $25,000 to The Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Of this amount, $10,000 came from Quebec City’s Kidney Walk and golf tournament, while $15,000 was raised through the annual campaign.

FROM LEFT: PAUL RENÉ DE COTRET, LOUIS-DENIS POULIN, SACHA DE SERRES, ISABELLE HOUDE, SIMON DESMEULES, ISABELLE CÔTÉ, ISABELLE LAPOINTE, FABRICE MAC-WAY, PAUL ISENRING AND RÉAL NOËL.

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

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PATIENT SERVICES

DECEMBER 5 IS INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY December 5 is International Volunteer Day, an occasion for the Foundation to highlight the outstanding commitment of its volunteers.

Thanks to their dedication, the Foundation will be able to keep pursuing the mission it adopted in 1964: improving the lives of people living with kidney failure by delivering quality care and services, promoting organ donation and funding kidney disease research.

Volunteers are the cornerstones of the Foundation: a huge thank-you goes out to each and every one of them.

Outaouais-Québécois Chapter

THE “RANDY’S ANGELS” TEAM AT THE 2016 GATINEAU KIDNEY WALK. LEFT TO RIGHT: FRANCINE LYRETTE (WIFE), RANDALL RUSSELL, CHAD RUSSELL (SON), ANGEL MEDINA (SON-IN-LAW) AND ASHLEY RUSSELL (DAUGHTER). IN FRONT MONICA DODSON (LONGTIME FRIEND).

Gisèle Goulet, an amazing volunteer from the Abitibi-Témiscamingue Chapter After retiring and returning to the area in 2006, Gisèle Goulet began volunteering with the Abitibi-Témiscamingue Chapter on the advice of a friend already involved with the Chapter. Very skillful and dedicated, Gisèle was quickly promoted to Chapter Vice-President and was soon nominated President, a position she held for three GISÈLE GOULET years. She is now a fixture on the Chapter’s Board of Directors and, at 75 years young, is as energetic and organized as ever. She participates actively in organizing fundraising activities for Abitibi-Ouest, such as the Door-to-Door Campaign and the Rouyn Noranda Kidney Walk.

Thanks for your involvement, Gisèle! | 6 |

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

“As someone suffering from polycystic kidney disease, I am truly grateful for everything The Kidney Foundation of Canada does. I’m lucky to have found a compatible donor: my kidney transplant is scheduled to take place within the next few months. I’m very involved as a volunteer - for anything related to kidney disease - at the local, regional and provincial levels. Also, my team won the championship jersey at Gatineau’s 2016 Kidney Walk for raising the most money at the event. I’d like to thank the Foundation for being there for patients, their families and their caregivers.

You bring hope to so many!”.

Randall Russell

Volunteers from Chibougamau receive a recognition certificate

PATIENT SERVICES

Dr. Olivier Diec, President of the Foundation’s South Shore Chapter, receives the 2016 Health Profession Award Dr. Olivier Diec was recently awarded the 2016 Health Profession Award in the knowledgesharing category, which is awarded to people whose practice is exemplary and deserves recognition.

Dr. Diec is in charge of the kidney transplantation clinic at Hôpital Charles LeMoyne, in addition to being Co-President of the Foundation’s South Shore Chapter and a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation’s Quebec Branch.

DR. OLIVIER DIEC

The distinction is given out by peers to Quebec doctors, pharmacists and nurses who embody the values of interprofessionalism on a daily basis while respecting everyone’s areas of practice and skills.

The Kidney Foundation of Canada would like to congratulate Dr. Diec for this wonderful award and is proud to work with him and benefit from his expertise, professionalism and humanity.

The Prix Profession Santé awards are an initiative of the Rogers Healthcare Group, which is made up of Profession Santé , ProfessionSante.ca, L’actualité pharmaceutique, L’actualité médicale and Info Infirmières.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA? Regardless of your age, there are both one-off and long-term opportunities to volunteer. You can also help us by taking part in one of our events. Every year in March, over 8,000 volunteers across Quebec solicit neighbours, family members, friends and coworkers during the Door-to-Door Campaign to collect donations to help people with kidney disease.

Others take part in Kidney Walk events, golf tournaments, galas and other events organized by the Foundation, or they leverage their talents and creativity to organize their own events.

The Kidney Foundation of Canada also relies on hundreds of volunteers to carry out its support mission benefiting people affected by kidney disease.

If you would like to volunteer, contact us at 514-938-4515 or infoquebec@kidney.ca to find out how you can help out in your area.

Do you have an idea for an event that could benefit the Foundation and consider yourself a good organizer? If you’d like to organize an event or activity for the Foundation’s benefit, share your ideas with us! Contact Bruno Tousignant at 819-661-5079 or bruno.tousignant@kidney.ca

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

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ORGAN DONATION

A LIVING DONATION? LET ME THINK ABOUT IT...

My name is Bern and on May 31, 2016, I donated a kidney to my big sister Joan.

process started. Of course, my family and friends are proud of me.

When she was a teenager, she discovered that she had a malformed bladder. Her urine was backing up into her kidneys, and they stopped working. At 21, she received a kidney from an unknown deceased donor.

Thanks to that donation, Joan went on to have two beautiful children, and her graft lasted 27 years. Last year, when we found out that it had reached the end of its life, I offered to be a living donor. The procedure was a huge success for both of us, and we both returned home only days after the operation, relieved and reassured.

What an amazing gift Bern gave me! But what’s most striking is the reaction I’ve received from people we don’t even know.

Since the beginning, every word, action, look, hug or bit of care I received has been comparable to a hero’s reception.

I have to admit that it’s extremely gratifying to sense all the recognition and positive energy. If you think about it, I received an incredible gift from my sister!

Would I have done the same for a total stranger? Today, having had this amazing experience, my answer would be yes.

Ever since, I’ve been telling myself that I had to share the experience with you as a way of answering a vitally important question: Should we make a living donation?

To answer the question, let me tell you how life has been since the kidney donation

For those of you who are healthy, take a few minutes, close your eyes and imagine having a discussion one morning with your favourite barista about why you haven’t shown up for the past few days. It’s because of your recent organ donation. “That’s right, it gave someone else a new lease on life.” Now imagine how that person would react. Do you see what I mean? Let’s be frank: making a

BERN WITH HIS SISTER JOAN THE DAY OF THE TRANSPLANT

living donation to a stranger makes you a superhero.

If you’re someone who’s rather reserved, take a few minutes to sign the Organ and Tissue Donation Form you received when you renewed your health insurance card.

To make sure your decision is honoured and your consent officially registered, get your name on RAMQ’s organ donor consent registry. And above all, tell everyone you know about it! You can’t imagine how much good it’ll bring! My sister Joan has been raving about her first transplant (and the donor) for 28 years!

So many sick people are desperately waiting for your selfless act. Go ahead, make a difference! It feels so, so good!

Bern

217 DONORS HONOURED AT THE 23rd CODA CEREMONY Presided over by Grand Patron of Honour, the Lieutenant-General of Quebec, Michel Doyon, the 23rd Canadian Organ Donors Association (CODA) Ceremony was held on Friday, October 21, 2016, at Sherbrooke’s Saint-Michel Cathedral.

Some 1,500 people turned out to pay tribute to the past year’s 206 organ donors, each of whom was awarded the title of Health Ambassador posthumously.

A further 11 people were honoured for making living kidney donations.

“This event speaks for a society that seeks to publicly recognize all those who have helped pass along the most beautiful legacy of all, health itself,” said the organization’s president, Richard Tremblay.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD – CALL FOR CANDIDATES Reward your employer for facilitating organ donation!

Have you donated a kidney to a loved one or had a transplant yourself? Did your employer support you by continuing to pay your salary throughout the transplant process or allowing you to take leave to undergo medical exams and time off on and after the day of your transplant? Let the world know just how generous your employer has been by nominating the company or organization for the Gift of Life Humanitarian Award.

Simply complete the registration form available on our Web site at www.kidney.ca/humanitarian. | 8 |

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

ORGAN DONATION

CLAUDE PROULX RECEIVES THE 2016 TRANSPLANT QUÉBEC GRAND PRIZE During a ceremony held on December 5, 2016, Claude Proulx, Organ and Tissue Donation Resource Nurse at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, received the 2016 Transplant Québec Grand Prize. Her job consists in supporting families following the death of a loved one, and discussing with them the possibility of donating his or her organs. Claude Proulx is heavily involved with the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. Congratulations, Claude, on receiving this admirable award!

About the Transplant Québec Grand Prize The Transplant Québec Grand Prize acknowledges the outstanding contribution of a doctor, health or social services professional or administrator, whose expertise is recognized by his or her peers and who has invested at least 10 years of time and effort in the field

ME RENÉ DUSSAULT, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, TRANSPLANT QUÉBEC, DR. MARTIN LÉGARÉ, INTENSIVIST RESPIROLOGIST, HÔPITAL MAISONNEUVE-ROSEMONT DU CIUSSS DE L’EST-DE-L’ÎLE-DE-MONTRÉAL, MRS CLAUDE PROULX, RESOURCE-NURSE FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION, HÔPITAL MAISONNEUVEROSEMONT AND WINNER (EX-AEQUO) OF THE GRAND PRIX DE TRANSPLANT QUÉBEC 2016, MR. LOUIS BEAULIEU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRANSPLANT QUÉBEC, MRS LUCIE TREMBLAY, PRESIDENT, ORDRE DES INFIRMIÈRES ET INFIRMIERS DU QUÉBEC, MR. YVAN GENDRON, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CIUSSS DE L’EST-DE-L’ÎLE-DE-MONTRÉAL.

of organ donation and transplantation in Quebec. The winner has made an outstanding contribution to the development of an organ donation culture in his or her community by raising awareness of organ donation or educating the community or public about it.

THE FOUNDATION TEAMS UP TO PROMOTE THE FILM “RÉPARER LES VIVANTS” (HEAL THE LIVING) The Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada is proud to partner with the film Réparer les vivants (English: Heal the Living) directed by Katell Quillévéré and starring Anne Dorval and Monia Chokri. Promoting organ donation is an integral part of The Kidney Foundation of Canada’s mission. Partnering with the film will enable the Foundation to raise public awareness about the benefits of organ donation.

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Maylis de Kerengal, Réparer les vivants tells the intertwining stories of a woman awaiting a heart transplant (Anne Dorval), the mother of a teenager on life

support following a car accident and staff at the hospital where a race against time begins, with the goal being to convince the teenager’s mother, with all the necessary tact, to save the woman’s life by agreeing to donate her son’s organs, including his kidneys.

Réparer les vivants is a film about the race against time that is organ donation; it explains in great detail the various steps leading up to a transplant.

The film will soon hit screens in Quebec.

A must-see film!

HHHHH

UNE ŒUVRE MAGISTRALE PIERRE VAVASSEUR – LE PARISIEN

UN FILM MAÎTRISÉ ET TOUCHANT QUI, DÈS LES PREMIÈRES IMAGES, IMPOSE SA FORCE ET SA SENSIBILITÉ.

NATHALIE PETROWSKI – LA PRESSE

TOUCHÉ EN PLEIN COEUR SYRIL TIAR - CINÉMANIAK.NET

U N

F I L M

D E

K A T E L L

Q U I L L É V É R É

RÉPARER LES

VIVANTS

PROCHAINEMENT À L’AFFICHE

AVAILABLE IN ITS ORIGINAL FRENCH VERSION ONLY

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

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RESEARCH

DR. MARIE-JOSÉE HÉBERT RECEIVES THE 2016 MEDAL FOR RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FROM THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA The Medal for Research Excellence was awarded to Dr. Marie-Josée Hébert on November 25, 2016, at an official ceremony held at the CHUM Research Centre before an audience of colleagues, family and friends. By means of the Medal for Research Excellence, the Foundation rewards a prolific scientist and renowned researcher in the field of transplantation in Montreal. “At the Quebec Branch, we are all very proud to see Dr. Hébert receive this well-deserved award,” noted Sylvie Charbonneau, President of the Quebec Branch. Dr. Hébert has always been a great supporter of the Foundation and the cause. It’s a fine acknowledgment of her excellent contribution to the fight against kidney disease.”

Dr. Hébert’s research focuses primarily on the central role of kidney fibrosis in chronic kidney failure and the rejection of transplanted organs. She was able to transpose the findings of her research to clinical practice. Her work has been described as “a quantum leap in our understanding of kidney fibrosis.” “Our work is recognized

by The Kidney Foundation of Canada and receiving this recognition really touches me. The Foundation’s remarkable development vision, centered around the multifaceted research it supports by breaking down silos and bringing basic science to the aid of patients, influence my research orientation,” said Dr. Hébert.

DR. HÉLÈNE BOISJOLY, DEAN, FACULTY OF MEDECINE, UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, MARTIN MUNGER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA | QUEBEC BRANCH, DR. MARIE-JOSÉE HÉBERT, VICE-RECTOR OF RESEARCH, DISCOVERY, CREATION AND INNOVATION, UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL AND CO-DIRECTOR OF THE CANADIAN NATIONAL TRANSPLANT RESEARCH PROGRAM, DENIS MARQUIS, CO-CHAIR, RESEARCH COUNCIL, THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA AND DR. VINCENT POITOUT, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, CHUM AND SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR, CRCHUM

As co-president of the Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP), Dr. Hébert is the perfect illustration of excellence in nephrology, as attested to by her brilliant career in basic and translational research. She is current Vice-Rector of Research, Discovery, Creation and Innovation at Université de Montréal, nephrologist– transplant physician and researcher at CHUM and professor in the Faculty of Medicine at UdeM, where she also holds the Shire Chair in Renal Transplantation and Regeneration.

THE PLANNED GIFT: AN INVALUABLE HUMANITARIAN BEQUEST Several years ago, my father received the gift of life thanks to a kidney transplant involving a living donor. The transplant, which I would even describe as miraculous, gave my father another 20 years of life. Not only were the doctors pleased, but they were amazed to discover that my father and his donor were compatible. That’s because not only is donor/ recipient compatibility increasingly rare, but the donor was my mother and therefore had no blood relation.

My father passed away in 2014. A few years earlier, he had asked me to be the executor of his will, a request I accepted without batting an eye. And while he wanted me to make sure his wishes were carried out, he was a very private person and had never discussed his will with me. I had no idea that he had made a bequest to The Kidney Foundation of Canada, but it didn’t surprise me.

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My father had always been deeply grateful for the opportunities life had sent his way. He was a man of great humility, endless generosity and incomparable loyalty. His cash donations were just a fraction of what he gave: he was attentive to the needs of not only his loved ones, but also his community.

disease research, prevention, awareness and education. I believe that his compassion, sense of responsibility, profound desire to both do good wherever he could and continue making a difference in people’s lives, even after his death, inspired him to include planned gifts in his will.

Philanthropy played a major role in his life, especially in his later years. I think his bequest to The Kidney Foundation of Canada was a way to express his gratitude, because without the Foundation’s work to raise awareness, educate patients and support research, my father’s life would have been cut short, no doubt about it. In 1994, his kidney stopped working and dialysis was there for him. We never spoke specifically about the Foundation as a charitable organization, but it was clear that he had done his research and understood the huge role the Foundation plays in kidney

Since he died, I’ve seen the impact he made become something permanent. A planned gift is an initially quantifiable financial gesture that quickly becomes a qualitative legacy.

The Kidney Community Newsletter WINTER 2017

We all have passions and life experiences that directly or indirectly influence the humanitarian causes we care about. It’s up to us to decide which ones are most important to us. That’s what my father did, and I plan to follow his example.

Nadine

NOTICE OF 2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Please note that the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada will hold its Annual General Meeting on May 6, 2017, starting at 9 a.m., at the Nouvel Hôtel, 1740 René-Lévesque Blvd West in Montreal.

Members are asked to register by April 6, 2017, by calling Jocelyne Renaud at 514-938-4515 or 1-800-565-4515, extension 230 or jocelyne.renaud@kidney.ca

E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION GO DIGITAL! The digital newsletter is a good way to receive all the latest news from the Foundation and get all the juicy details about our events and fundraisers. Thanks for being a loyal reader!

If you subscribe to the paper version of the Kidney Community Newsletter, consider switching to the digital version to help the Foundation save money by reducing production costs. Subscribe at kidney.ca/quebec today!

Vaccination,

the best protection

Vaccine against pneumococcal The risk of death from a pneumococcal infection is greater for people with certain diseases, such as renal failure.

To receive the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine free of charge, ask your CLSC or your doctor during your next visit.

You can receive the pneumococcal and flu vaccines at the same time. One shot in your lifetime is usually sufficient.

sante.gouv.qc.ca/vaccination/ 15-213-03A_pneumo_rein_3X5_ang.indd 1

2015-07-23 15:13

La Division du Québec de La Fondation canadienne du rein2017

THE QUEBEC BRANCH OF THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA 2300 René-Lévesque Blvd West Montreal, Quebec H3H 2R5boul. René-Lévesque Ouest 2300, Phone: (514) 938-4515 • 1 800 565-4515 (Québec) H3H 2R5 Fax: (514) 938-4757Montréal • infoquebec@kidney.ca Tél. : (514) 938-4515 • 1 800 565-4515 www.kidney.ca/quebec

Téléc. : (514) 938-4757 • infoquebec@rein.ca

www.rein.ca/quebec

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Please find enclosed my donation for: $20m’envoyer  $35le bulletin  $50  $100  suivante Other amount par courriel à l’adresse : ❒ S.V.P. (Je fais aussi économiser la Fondation des frais postaux)

TOTAL CONTRIBUTION =

Jesouhaite faireout untodon La Fondation canadienne Cheque made TheàKidney Foundation of Canada.du rein Oui, je désire faire un don à La Fondation canadienne du rein. Veuillez trouver ci-joint mon don au montant de :  MasterCard ❒ Visa $ number Autre ❒ 20 ❒ 35 $ ❒ 50 $ ❒ 100 $ Credit card Contribution totale = Signature ❒ Chèque libellé à l’ordre de La Fondation canadienne du rein.

Expiry Date

An❒ official for tax purposes willde becarte issued all donations of $20 or more.

Visa receipt Numéro defor crédit ❒ MasterCard

Date d’expiration  I would like to receive my tax receipt by email – I therefore understand that I will not get one by mail.

Signature Date  Please remove my name from your mailing lists.

Un reçu officiel pour fins d’impôt sera émis pour tout don de 20 $ et plus.

We will use the information contained in this form to send you news about kidney health and advances in research, to keep you informed about the social issues surrounding patient care, and notify you of our various outreach initiatives and fundraising activities.

JeIfsouhaite m’impliquer bénévolement (SVP indiquez-nous quelle région) you would prefer not to be contacted regarding any of the above, please call us dans toll-free at 1-877-361-4947.

Abitibi-Témiscamingue Mauricie allow thirty (30) business days for changes❒ to Montérégie be processed. ❒ Montréal ❒ Outaouais ❒ Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean ❒ Québec ❒Please ❒ Estrie ❒your

❒

Veuillez retirer mon nom de vos listes d’envoi.

Nous pourrions utiliser les renseignements contenus sur cette fiche pour communiquer avec vous dans une correspondance future, notamment pour vous signaler nos campagnes de financement.

Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nous vous contactions à cet effet, nous vous prions de nous appeler au numéro de téléphone suivant : 1 877 361-4947 Prière de nous accorder 30 jours ouvrables pour procéder au changement.

Votre don fait du chemin à La Fondation...