'They're somebody's loved one': Saskatoon woman donating kidney to stranger

A Saskatoon woman is about to donate a kidney — but it won't go to a relative, or even a friend. 

Marie Green is giving her kidney to a stranger.

"So many people are on the waiting list. I thought it was a logical thing to do," said Green, 66.

Green started researching organ donation a year ago. She learned that nearly 100 Saskatchewan people were waiting for a kidney, with an average wait time of three years.

Green heard through a friend, Sen. Lillian Dyck, that another Saskatoon woman — Monica Goulet, who was also a friend of Green's — was among those waiting for a transplant. Dyck said Goulet, who was featured in a 2017 CBC story about the wait time for kidney donations, "was fading" and might not have long to live.

Green called Goulet and offered her kidney.

After several appointments with doctors, blood tests and CT scans, Green was approved as a donor.

During the process, though, a better match was found for Goulet. She received a kidney in March from her nephew, Jim Searson.

Green was happy for her friend, but decided to continue with her planned donation.

In Saskatchewan, what are referred to as "altruistic" donors — those who are not donating to a specific person — can be matched with a recipient on the provincial wait list, or by joining the Canadian Blood Services' paired donation program, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Green's kidney will be removed later this month at St. Paul's Hospital. She isn't sure who the recipient will be, and she says it doesn't matter.

"If I was going to do it for Monica, I can certainly do it for somebody else. You know, there are a lot of people out there. Even if I don't know them, they're somebody's loved one. They're somebody's Monica," Green said.

Green said she's not nervous — she's excited to know someone will be spending Christmas with a new kidney.

Goulet, who is doing well eight months after receiving her new kidney, said even though she ended up getting it from another donor, the process brought her closer to Green.

"I think I've learned a lot about her mind and her soul," Goulet said.

She said Green is an inspiration in every way, not only because Green is donating a kidney — she's also been a foster mom to dozens of kids for the past 20 years.

"She has a big heart, just amazing. She's just a very beautiful person, inside and out," Goulet said.

Green's daughter, Lisa Cloud, said most people don't "step up" unless they can help someone close to them. She said it's great her mom decided to continue with the donation even after Goulet no longer needed her kidney.

Erin Schimpf, provincial program manager for the Saskatchewan Transplant Program, said there are roughly 10 living kidney donors per year in the province. Only one or two of those donate anonymously to strangers.

She said she couldn't speak to individual cases or identify recipients, but she called these anonymous donors "incredibly generous."

Schimpf said the number of people willing to donate organs is growing, and encouraged anyone interested to contact the transplant program.