People who decide to become a living organ donor to a Saskatchewan resident are now eligible for reimbursement of some of the expenses they may incur. The province is providing $200,000 to launch a reimbursement program for donors in partnership with The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch.
The program will make it easier for individuals who wish to donate a kidney to a relative, but must travel or incur other expenses to do so."We want to encourage Saskatchewan people to consider organ donation, and this funding will help remove financial barriers from that decision," Health Minister Don McMorris said. "Making it easier for people to donate will ultimately reduce wait times for patients whose lives depend on having a transplant."
The provincial funding will be used to reimburse living donors at a level similar to other provinces. Up to $5,500 in compensation will be available for each living donor. The Kidney Foundation will administer the program.
"We need to do all we can to increase transplant opportunities for Saskatchewan people who are waiting for a donor," The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch Executive Director Joyce Van Deurzen said. "They deserve a chance at the improved quality of life and better health that a kidney transplant can provide."
The funding helps address one of the recommendations of last summer's Kidney Transplant Program review - that greater efforts be made to encourage organ donation. Donations from living donors include kidney, liver and lung.
"Financial assistance for living donors will also support Saskatchewan's participation in a national living donor paired exchange registry," Saskatchewan Transplant Program Medical Director Dr. Ahmed Shoker said. "If a willing donor is not a match for a loved one who needs a transplant, they may be able to donate to someone else in exchange for their loved one receiving a transplant from a suitable donor."The registry also includes individuals who want to donate a kidney but have no intended recipient.
More information about the reimbursement program is available through The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch.
