Guelph donor recovering following successful kidney transplant surgery
Thanks to the kindness of a stranger, a Stouffville woman has finally received the kidney she’s been waiting three years for, after social media connected her to a living donor in Guelph.
Lucy Latino received the life-saving kidney transplant Friday.
She was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis about 15 years ago.
That form of kidney disease can cause scarring of the kidney and ultimately lead to kidney failure.
“In the last five years, my health had declined so much,” Latino said.
In 2020, Lucy was added to a donor wait list before starting dialysis treatment. At the time, doctors told her it could take seven to 10 years before she found a match.
“Her health was declining. We knew we didn’t have that time,” said Latino’s daughter Danielle.
MAKING A MATCH
According to the Canadian Institute of Health Information, more than 3,700 Canadians were on a transplant wait list at the end of 2022.
“It’s very challenging whenyou can't help someone that you adore,” said Danielle.
Lucy’s family launched an online campaign to spread the word about her need for a donor in hopes of finding a match.
Two years later they connected with Claire Yuricek from Guelph.
“I had donated blood and I shared my story on Instagram and tagged Canadian Blood Services,” explained Yuricek. “They re-shared it to their story and Danielle had just given my story a little cheer emoji, like a hand clap.”
“She noticed the clap response and went through our families Instagram profile and called to reach out,” said Danielle.
‘I LOVE YOU’
The two were deemed a match earlier this year and met for the first time on Friday, just hours before the transplant surgery.
“First thing I said to her was ‘I love you’. It’s so hard to express the gratitude I have and the love you have for this person, even though you don’t know them,” said Latino.
Following a successful surgery, the two are recovering at Toronto General Hospital and are expected to be discharged over the next few days.
“I would want someone, out of the kindness of their heart to do for my mom, what I’m able to do for Lucy,” said Yuricek.
The two have since formed a bond that will last a lifetime.
“She’s a part of me physically, like she’s literally a part of me,” said Latino. “There’s angels in heaven and I’ll say this, and I’ll keep saying this – mine walks on earth.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Watch Live Now: Canadian analysis ahead of the CNN Presidential Debate
U.S. President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump are set to go head-to-head tonight in the first of two planned presidential debates. Here's how to watch the CNN Presidential Debate, Power Play's pre- and post-debate specials, and follow along in our real-time CTVNews.ca live expert analysis and commentary by debate and body-language experts.
'Hanging on for her life': Sask. family desperate to bring home sick niece from Philippines
For half a decade, a Saskatoon family has been trying to bring their orphaned niece to Canada, they say now it’s a matter of life or death.
'No additional flights will be cancelled': WestJet avoids strike as feds order binding arbitration
A potential strike by WestJet airplane mechanics would upend travel plans for 250,000 customers over the Canada Day long weekend, the airline says — and cost it millions of dollars.
BREAKING Nunavut judge sentences Toronto woman to 3 years prison for Inuit identity fraud
A Nunavut judge has sentenced a Toronto woman to three years in prison in a case of Inuit identity fraud.
Canada's top court rejects appeal from Sask. man who murdered wife
The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected an application from a Saskatoon man who murdered his wife.
Where do new Canadians come from? India and Philippines take top spots
Canada has welcomed more than 3.9 million new citizens since 2005, with nearly one third coming from India, the Philippines or China, according to a CTVNews.ca analysis.
Marilyn Monroe's former Los Angeles home declared a historic monument to save it from demolition
Fans of Marilyn Monroe have won a battle to preserve her mark on Los Angeles and are a step closer to seeing a towering statue of the silver screen icon remain in Palm Springs.
Man charged with threatening to kill presidential candidates found dead as jury was deciding verdict
A New Hampshire man charged with threatening the lives of presidential candidates last year has been found dead while a jury was deciding his verdict, according to court filings Thursday.
AI regulation 'a start,' needs to 'have teeth': Hinton, godfather of AI, says
So-called godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton says he's 'pleased' governments are starting to take artificial intelligence, and the possible regulations of it, seriously.