Meet three transplant recipients competing at the 10th Canadian Transplant Games

Canadian Blood Services is excited to welcome the Canadian Transplant Games to Ottawa August 3–9, 2024, as an official sponsor of this event. Organized and hosted by the Canadian Transplant Association, the games bring together transplant recipients, living donors, donor families and their supporters to compete in events from pickleball to swimming to cycling. What better way to showcase the strength and resilience of all of them? Read on for just a few of the athletes’ stories.  

Jonathan, kidney transplant recipient

Jonathan, seen in the photo at the top of this article, had his first operation on his kidneys at one day old. Forty-five years later, he received a kidney from his sister, a living donor. 

Tanner, stem cell transplant recipient

Tanner was diagnosed at age six with a type of anemia that makes his bone marrow unable to produce healthy red blood cells. A stem cell transplant was his only hope of a cure, and Tanner was fortunate to be able to receive donated stem cells from his older brother, Teemu.  

Benoit, kidney transplant recipient 

When Benoit’s kidneys were failing and he was forced to go on dialysis, his mother, Sylvie, decided to become his living kidney donor. As a lifelong swimmer, Benoit knew that he wanted to continue in his sport.

The need for organ and stem cell donors 

These three incredible athletes were lucky to have suitable donors in their families, but many others are not so fortunate. In Canada, there are currently more than 4,000 people waiting for organ transplants. Yet while many Canadians are aware of the need, too few register to donate organs and tissues after death.  

At any given time, hundreds of people in Canada are also waiting for lifesaving stem cell transplants. Since most will not have matches within their families, an unrelated donor of similar ethnic background is typically their best hope. However, people who are Black, Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic or of mixed-race heritage collectively make up only about a third of the stem cell registry’s prospective donors. We need to build a larger and more diverse stem cell registry and cord blood bank to provide the best care for all patients. 

We encourage all Canadians to join the stem cell registry if they are eligible (aged 17-35), and to register intent to donate organs and tissues and share that decision with family and loved ones. 

As you saw with Jonathan, Tanner, and Benoit, a transplant is life-changing. 

Learn more about Canadian Transplant Games  

Canadian Blood Services works with the organ and tissue donation and transplantation community to improve system performance for all Canadians. We do this through the development of leading practices, professional education, public awareness and data analysis and reporting. We also manage clinical programs that support interprovincial sharing of organs. Learn more about our role, and about living and deceased organ donation and transplantation in Canada.