Over a dozen British Columbians died on organ transplant waitlist in 2024

A total of 13 British Columbians died last year while waiting for an organ transplant.

According to recent statistics from BC Transplant, 666 patients were on the waitlist for an organ donation in 2024, 13 of whom passed away.

In 2023, the waitlist included 514 people, with six associated deaths.

The report also revealed that over 63 per cent of all organ recipients in BC received a kidney from either a deceased or living donor in 2024.

Provincially, 481 transplants were performed, with 69 involving residents of the Interior Health region, a slight decline from the 81 performed in 2023.

There were 118 deceased organ donors in the province last year, 20 of which were from Interior Health.

“Most of our referrals come from hospitals, because most often, organ donors—especially deceased ones—are in ICU or on life support,” said Dr. Sean Keenan, provincial medical director of donation services for BC Transplant.

Kidney transplants were the most common procedure, with 309 conducted across the province. Liver transplants ranked second at 92, followed by lung transplants at 47 and heart transplants at 25.

If you are considering organ donation, Keenan recommends that you discuss it with your family before proceeding.

“If you are interested in the idea and are talking to more people, you can check in with our website. If you do decide to register, it is really a good idea to let your family know and discuss it with them.”

To read the full report, click here. 

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