Robert Galster News Reporter robert@nsnews.com WADE McLachlan may be missing an organ, but he has never felt more complete. A year ago the North Vancouver native underwent a five-hour surgery to remove one of his’ kidn In an adjoining room lay his sister, Debora, waiting anxiously, to receive a piece of her brother. “It was an opportunity, ig of male gender, to give * said MeLachlan, “It was important also because it was my sister and she looked after me when I was growing up, so it was an ity for me to look Originally from Prince George, McLachlan moved to North Vancouver four : ago. The 27- old brewery marketing representative was in the habit of going home to visit with family and friends at Christmas. He was otherwise cut off trom the daily events of their lives, Asa result, when his sister started suffering from kidney disease, McLachlan was out of the loop. It’s not the sort of thing mom would casually tell him over the phone. But when he went home for Christmas in 1996, he knew something was wrong. “I wasn’t used to seeing i ick. She was so vibrant,” — said McLachlan. “We were once able to talk for hours and (this time around) she fell asleep talking.” His mother filled him in. When Debora was 21 she lost one of her kidneys. By the time he arrived for his holiday visit in 1996, some 20 years had passed and her remaining kidney was failing. She needed a transplant, but kidney donors aren’t easy to find. It would be a chal- lenge to find the right match. Without hesitation, her NEWS photo Mike Wakefield IT took Wade McLachian a few months to get over an operation: to remove one of his kidneys, but his sister Debora (inset) wil! be forever grateful to her brother for his gift of life after both of her kidneys failed. . immediate family members stepped forward to volunteer one of their healthy organs. Initial tests indicated only Wade and his mother had a possibility of being compati- ble. Whether they were fully compatible would not be known until a series of tests 1‘ you are turning 69 in 1998. ae Call for this important information. f K ; RRSP Maturity Some of the issues cov- ered: RRSP maturity options RRIF's and annuities explained * Creating the retirement income you require °7 steps to building a successful RRIF port- folio estor Protection Fund. was completed. Wade's mother was up for the task. “When they're testing for possible donors they'll only allow one person at a time to do it (go through the testing proc because of the cost factor.” said Mclachlan. "My Entrance inrearfane = Ho mom — stepped forward because she felt she brought her (Debora) into this world and she wanted to help. It was 2 nurturing thing.” Evervthing seemed to be on track. Then the bad news ved. MeLachtan's mother had failed the last test. Her 087 Php foam cove fate, scateh-gardes futon cover, Pillans 206 pilaw covers While Via last Spm Sunday 12-5 pm 98 a ICBC Cleim? If you have been injured in an auto accident Call Stephen Anderson 922-8881 SAGER ANDERSON LAWRENCE Barristers & Solicitors 235 th Street, West Vancouver ih fe Sunday, March 29, 1998 — North Shore News - 5 rother donates kidney to ailing sister kidney was not compatible with her daughter's body. “When | osaw the feok in my mom's eves FP just said ht away Pd go forward,” said McLachlan. He was tested. “During that time | theught, ‘What am 1 doing? Am I doing the right thing? What kind of effect’ is this going to have on my life?” remembered McLachlan. “But to turn that around my friends, family, co- workers very supportive. Three months fater word arrived that the test results had come back pos. MeLachlan and his sister were compatible. The operation could go ahead. As the scheduled day approached, the mao siblings awaiting surgery decided to mark the occasion with a party. A kidney party no less. The two distributed kidney beans to their guests. They also drove to Washington State to attend a local tulip festival. All in all, both were ready and anxiously awaiting the day of surgery. On the appointed das, MeLachlan arrived at St. Paul's Hospital carly in the morning and went in first. “Once they removed the kidney, they flushed it and pur it on ice physically walked it aver to the next room and went to work on her while they stitched me up.” said MeLachlan. He was slow to nd exp concentrating. With freulti gain his more active than | was before,” said McLachlan. Meanwhile his sister has had a much harder go of it. She had to stay in hospital for a month following — the ~ but the kidney has “She had ev ery the sun go wrong, exee kidney,” said McLachlan. Since then her condition has stabilized and life is back to normal. March may have been kid- ney awareness month in Canada, but AMfeLachlan and his family will always be mindtul of an organ no one can live without. eee Some facts and statistics regarding kidneys and kidney disease courtesy of the Kidnev Foundation of Canada: @ kidney disease can strike anyone at any age: i s rank sixth among diseases causing death in Canada; @ one in 10 Canadians will ones at some @ one in four Canadian women will develop a tract infection in their | dime; @ of the new patients with kidney disease, those age 65 to 74 are the fastest growing group, followed by those age 75 and up; @ the three leading caus kidney failure in new patients are diabetes (26.8%), high blood pressure ( 8. 1%) and or inflammation of the tiny fil- ters in the kidney which clean the blood (15.9%); @ 950 kidney transplants were performed in Canada in 1996. . IMMIGRATION: Give us a breather, Canadians say We commissioned a poll conducted by Decima Research between February 7 and 15.1998. It found that Canzdians: * want a5 year moratorium on immigration so that we can get the unemployed back to work * believe that immigration levels are too high. + believe that immigsation intake is out of balance and that too many come from the third world. * believe immigrants should quaiity themselves. Immigrants should learn English or French before they get here. For the past five years, Canada has ai!mitted between 200,000 and 225,000 immigrants annually, Do you think this number is: Too high About Tight Too low 8.C. 44.5% 43.8% 6.8% Do you suppart a tive year moratorium on immigration so that unemployment levels can be reduced? National Yes No Don't know 50.0% 43.9% 5.7% Today, more than 85% of immigrants come from the Third World. Do you believe this figure is: Too high About right Too low B.C. 56.6% 34.6% 2.2% immigration should not upset the ethnic balance of a community: HTRRAPIDLUBE DRIVE-THRU Oll CHANGE PROFESSIONALS No appointment necessary Most cars & pick ups, plus taxes & onviro lavy inciudes 21 point satety inspection COOLING SYSTEM SERVICE 8:00am - 6:00pm Mon.-Sat. expires Apni 10/98. Save $8 on radiator flush & fill Engine antifreeze « Windshisid washer fluid « Fower Steering fivid © Transmission tluid ¢ Brake tiuid pyLONSDALE & 13TH 988-4050 —_——— ee ee National Too high 43.7% About right 36.1% Too low 3.8% Shoulo Canada require that immigrants and refugees be able to speak English ot French? National Yes 72.6% No 24.6% Don't know 2.5% For hard hitting reports on Canada’s in:migration mess, subscribe to the authoritative Canadian Immigration Hotline ($20.00/year) Canadian Immigration Hotling Box 332, Rexdale Ontario M9W 5L3 (905)897-7221