GiveLife Alberta hosting zoom meeting this Friday

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As part of National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, from April 20 to 26, GiveLife Alberta is hosting a Zoom meeting on Friday, April 25, from 12 to 1 p.m.

The session, according to Alberta Health Services organ and tissue donation program GiveLifeAlberta, is titled ‘Donor Mom and Recipient Story,’ and will feature Kinza Barney, mother of organ and tissue donor Zachary, as well as James Gospodyn, recipient of Zachary’s kidney.

“When Airdrie resident Kinza Barney received news that her 15-year-old son Zachary had been in a dirt bike crash and would not survive, her family knew what he would want,” said GiveLifeAlberta. “Zachary had shared with his mother just weeks before that he planned to register to be an organ and tissue donor. His gifts of life saved five people, including James Gospodyn. Kinza and James will share their inspiring story.”

Registration for the session, GiveLifeAlberta says, is free and can be done at: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/meeting/register/227Bn9T7Rqq4_h3vB21F3A#/registration. More information about the session, GiveLifeAlberta says, can be received by emailing GiveLifeAlberta@AHS.ca.

“One organ donor can save up to eight lives, and a tissue donor can save or dramatically improve up to 75 lives,” said GiveLifeAlberta. “While Alberta marked another record year in 2024 – with 317 deceased organ and tissue donors —, there are more than 500 people waiting for life-saving transplants in our province. Last year, 33 people on the wait list died. Albertans are encouraged to register their intent to donate online at GiveLifeAlberta.ca – or at a motor vehicle registry office – and to tell their loved ones about their donation decision.”

GiveLifeAlberta says that there was also a Lunch and Learn Session on April 1, titled ‘Organ and Tissue Donation Mythbusting for Albertans’ in which GiveLifeAlberta’s Senior Communications Advisor Su-Ling Goh ‘cleared up misconceptions’ about donation and shared what people needed to know if they were interested in participating in the process of donating organs or tissues.