The Gillan family is hoping that Living Donation Week will mark a turning point for their teenage son, Lucas.
Lucas, a 17-year-old student living in Renfrew, has been the focal point of a recently created online campaign to track down a living kidney donor as he faces chronic kidney disease.
They’re still looking to land a compatible match, but cousin Michelle Beauchamp says the attention they’ve garnered has already brought in lots of attention and interest from people willing to get tested to see if they can help.
Lucas’ mom, Angela, says that he’s very appreciative of the support from the community but has chosen to largely remain out of the spotlight during the campaign.
That’s not an unusual choice for him, as she notes that many of his close friends were unaware of his long-term battle with kidney failure until the search for a donor went public.
Both say that a living donor is Lucas’ best bet for his long-term well-being, as not only is the waiting list for a deceased donor incredibly long at the moment, but a live organ is more likely to last longer and comes with a lower risk of rejection.
Outside of getting tested to see if you’re a match for Lucas, you can also support the Gillan family by sponsoring their ongoing fundraising effort through this month’s Ontario Virtual Kidney Walk.
(written by Kasey Egan)