Manitoba watching Nova Scotia's experience with presumed consent for organ donation

Manitoba is taking a wait-and-see approach in response to Nova Scotia becoming the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce presumed consent for organ and tissue donation.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil tabled legislation on Tuesday that, if passed, will make everyone an organ donor unless they choose to opt out.

"It's something that we're going to watch and see how it works out there," said Brandon West MLA Reg Helwer, who chaired Manitoba's task force on organ and tissue donation.

The task force looked at the question of presumed consent but recommended the government focus on public education to raise donation rates here, Helwer said.

"Not saying that we would rule out presumed consent, but after we educate the public and got our donor rates up to around 40 to 50 per cent of the population, then it's something that should be considered more in-depth," he said.

Manitoba currently has about 35,000 registered donors, out of a population of 1.35 million — a rate of less than three per cent.

'Huge gaps' in liver transplant understanding

That rate just doesn't cut it for one Manitoba woman, whose husband has an auto-immune disease that attacks the liver. He's been waiting for a transplant for more than three years.

Robyn Nault said there are "huge gaps" in the health-care system when it comes to understanding and awareness of liver transplants.

"When you Google … it's always kidneys, lungs and heart transplants that you can read up on. There is very, very minimal information out there about liver donation," Nault said in an interview with Ismaila Alfa, host of CBC Manitoba's afternoon radio show Up to Speed.

Many people don't know that unlike most other organs, the liver can regenerate itself, making it possible for someone to donate while they are still alive, she said.

Having presumed consent in Manitoba "would open up a lot of avenues, not just for my family, but for everybody," she said.

With Manitoba's education system under review, the province has an opportunity to insert education about organ donation into the curriculum, said Helwer.

The task force on organ and tissue donation recommended writing curriculum for Grade 9 students.

Helwer has experienced what it's like for families waiting to learn if their loved one will receive an organ transplant. His daughter has received two kidney donations from biological relatives.

"Not every Manitoban is fortunate enough to have that option and that's why it's important to me to raise this awareness, and to make sure that other Manitobans have a similar opportunity for improving their life," said Helwer.

It's an opportunity Nault wishes she could have. No one in her family who has been tested was a match to donate to her husband. Her youngest son is the same blood type, but isn't old enough yet to get tested, she said.

"I would love to be able to give somebody that chance of living a [full] life of enjoyment," she said.

"It would be the best thing going, because it would save so many lives."