Organ donation important to all

Letters to the Editor - Editor,

As I am writing this letter, Summerside resident Brian Ellis is once again walking across P.E.I. to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation.

This man is so grateful and so thankful to have been given the gift of life through a kidney transplant, that he has braved ill health and bad weather to spread his message.

Our family knows, only too well, the importance of organ donation. On Sept. 24, 1993, our precious daughter, Wendy, was suddenly taken from us in a tragic car-pedestrian accident. She was only 15 years old.

The summer before her death, Wendy had discussed with us her intention of being an organ donor. And so on that fateful evening, we decided to honour her wish and sign away her organs.

We later found out that two people had received her corneas. We have never regretted our decision.

Now, 15 years later, because of Brian's walk, we are once again reminded of how important it is to be an organ donor.

My husband, Grant, suffers from a hereditary disease known as polycystic kidneys. He has been on dialysis for more than two years and is on a transplant list.

Although we are very grateful that he is feeling quite well, our greatest wish would be to receive a telephone call saying a kidney was available for him.

It would mean such happiness for us - and such sadness for another family. We know, we've been there.

In closing, I would like to wish Brian Ellis and his family all the best in the future and I would like to ask everyone to seriously consider being an organ donor.

It would be the greatest gift you could ever give.

Trudy Betts,

Bloomfield