During National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, the HSC Foundation is highlighting the life-saving work being undertaken at the HSC Transplant Wellness Centre, as exemplified by Rob and Karen Letham’s story
Rob and Karen Letham return home after undergoing a kidney donation and transplant in the fall of 2021.
“It saved our family,” says Rob Letham. “The Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) program saved us.”
Before 2013, Rob and Karen Letham lived a vibrant life, balancing full-time jobs while supporting their two teenage daughters’ competitive curling careers. But in 2013, Karen developed a persistent rash. And, after undergoing some tests, it was discovered that her blood pressure was dangerously high. She was immediately put on medication to manage the condition.
Karen and Rob with their two daughters, Jensen, Taylor and their dog Oskar.
For seven years Karen’s condition remained stable, but on January 5, 2021, a routine blood test revealed alarming news: her kidney function had dropped to a critically low six per cent. Her kidneys were failing. Within days, Karen had a central line inserted, and she began dialysis.
“I didn’t even know how bad I had really been feeling until that first dialysis treatment. It gave me instant energy,” she explains.
But even with her newfound strength, Karen knew dialysis was not a long-term solution. That’s when her family, friends, and community began to rally around her to find a match for a kidney donation.
“Unfortunately, no one was a match. That’s when we shifted gears and began learning about the KPD program,” explains Rob.
Karen and Rob underwent extensive testing at HSC in preparation for the kidney transplant.
A beacon of hope, the KPD program facilitates a complex, yet life-saving exchange: when a donor is not a match for their intended recipient, they may be paired with someone else in need of a transplant. In turn, their loved one might receive a kidney from someone else’s donor. This intricate system allows multiple lives to be saved through a swap.
In the KPD program, incompatible pairs can consider taking part in a donor swap. Each donor donates a kidney, and every transplant candidate receives a kidney.
The KPD program organizes matching pools three times a year, in June, October, and February. Both Karen and Rob were required to find matches at the same time to allow for a successful donation. The call came in June—their matches had been found.
The next few weeks were a whirlwind. Each with separate medical teams, Karen and Rob both underwent extensive screening in preparation for the transplant. In late August of 2022, Karen entered the HSC Transplant Wellness Centre in preparation for her kidney transplant. Rob was admitted on September 1 and was released three days later.
The donor-funded HSC Transplant Wellness Centre opened in 2020 after a combined $4.5 million investment from the HSC Foundation and the Province of Manitoba.
“We both had amazing care, and I couldn’t be more grateful to the health care professionals working at HSC,” says Karen.
After a few weeks of recovery, both Karen and Rob were back to their regular activities, with Karen no longer requiring dialysis.
“The biggest thing for me is being able to travel. Because our girls are competitive curlers, having the freedom to go wherever, whenever to support them has been such a gift.”
Following the kidney transplant, Karen was no longer required to undergo dialysis, allowing her to travel freely with her family again.
Thanks to the HSC Transplant Wellness Centre, which opened in July 2020 following a combined $4.5 million investment from the HSC Foundation and the Province of Manitoba, Karen and Rob’s story has become part of a larger success story.
It is estimated the HSC Transplant Wellness Centre saves $63,000 annually per patient by taking individuals off dialysis much sooner. In 2024, 74 Manitobans received kidney transplants through the Adult Kidney Transplant Program at HSC.
As we acknowledge National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, April 21–27, please consider making a gift to the HSC Foundation to ensure Manitobans like the Lethams receive the timely care they need. To donate, please click here or call 204-515-5612 or 1-800-679-8493. For more information on becoming an organ and tissue donor, visit signupforlife.ca.
By Jen Golletz
