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'Angel' liver donor thanked by child's grateful parents
Last Updated Thu, 20 Apr 2006 15:59:28 EDT
CBC News
An eastern Ontario man who donated a part of his liver to a complete stranger was thanked by the recipient's parents Thursday.
Kevin Gosling, 46, of Cornwall received a letter of appreciation that described him as "an angel donor" for possibly saving the life of an Ontario youngster who had an enzyme deficiency that could lead to brain damage or death.
Gosling underwent a 12-hour operation last year to remove part of his organ for a donation that carries a risk of one death in 200 instances.
"My motives were simple, I just wanted to help out," Gosling said Thursday when he was honoured at a ceremony at Toronto General Hospital.
"It wasn't a big ethical question for me," added the self-described ordinary man.
But, the donation posed a huge ethical dilemma for doctors and bioethicists.
A team of 14 physicians, psychiatrists, nurses and social workers questioned Gosling to ensure his motives were pure, and that he wasn't doing it because he had a death wish or was seeking atonement for past wrongs.
People have donated kidneys anonymously before, and others have also come forward to offer their livers. But Gosling is the first to be deemed both physically and mentally fit to do so, said Linda Wright, a bioethicist at Toronto's University Health Network.
"Kevin convinced us that his motivation was one of pure altruism and that it was important to him to help a stranger in this way," said Wright.
Liver donations
People who need a liver transplant can wait between one and four years, depending on blood type.
In Ontario last year, there were 355 people on the liver transplant waiting list but only 147 liver removals from deceased people, and 47 from living donors willing to give a portion of their organ to someone they knew.
Gosling is the first Canadian to donate a part of a liver to a stranger.
Source: Toronto General Hospital
Canada forbids payment for organ donations and Gosling spent thousands of dollars of his own money to travel to Toronto several times for tests, questioning and the actual surgery. He also took months off work to recuperate after having the left lobe of his liver removed.
Gosling said he decided to give part of his liver after he saw what a difference a kidney donation made to a friend's family in 2004.
Gosling has previously donated blood, is on a bone marrow registry and has signed an organ donor card.
Gosling said he read about living donation and learned the liver tissues of the donor and recipient do not need to match perfectly, but blood types must be compatible. Both the donor's liver and the recipient's organ regenerate.
When Gosling considered donating part of his liver to a stranger in need, "I couldn't help but sit there and think, 'You know, don't worry sweetheart, a piece of me is coming to help you out.' You can't imagine what that would make you feel like."
All of Gosling's former doctors attended the event to celebrate the medical first.
His wife was also there, beaming with pride. The parents of three say the recipient child will always have a special place in their hearts.
Last Updated Thu, 20 Apr 2006 15:59:28 EDT
CBC News
An eastern Ontario man who donated a part of his liver to a complete stranger was thanked by the recipient's parents Thursday.
Kevin Gosling, 46, of Cornwall received a letter of appreciation that described him as "an angel donor" for possibly saving the life of an Ontario youngster who had an enzyme deficiency that could lead to brain damage or death.
Gosling underwent a 12-hour operation last year to remove part of his organ for a donation that carries a risk of one death in 200 instances.
"My motives were simple, I just wanted to help out," Gosling said Thursday when he was honoured at a ceremony at Toronto General Hospital.
"It wasn't a big ethical question for me," added the self-described ordinary man.
But, the donation posed a huge ethical dilemma for doctors and bioethicists.
A team of 14 physicians, psychiatrists, nurses and social workers questioned Gosling to ensure his motives were pure, and that he wasn't doing it because he had a death wish or was seeking atonement for past wrongs.
People have donated kidneys anonymously before, and others have also come forward to offer their livers. But Gosling is the first to be deemed both physically and mentally fit to do so, said Linda Wright, a bioethicist at Toronto's University Health Network.
"Kevin convinced us that his motivation was one of pure altruism and that it was important to him to help a stranger in this way," said Wright.
Liver donations
People who need a liver transplant can wait between one and four years, depending on blood type.
In Ontario last year, there were 355 people on the liver transplant waiting list but only 147 liver removals from deceased people, and 47 from living donors willing to give a portion of their organ to someone they knew.
Gosling is the first Canadian to donate a part of a liver to a stranger.
Source: Toronto General Hospital
Canada forbids payment for organ donations and Gosling spent thousands of dollars of his own money to travel to Toronto several times for tests, questioning and the actual surgery. He also took months off work to recuperate after having the left lobe of his liver removed.
Gosling said he decided to give part of his liver after he saw what a difference a kidney donation made to a friend's family in 2004.
Gosling has previously donated blood, is on a bone marrow registry and has signed an organ donor card.
Gosling said he read about living donation and learned the liver tissues of the donor and recipient do not need to match perfectly, but blood types must be compatible. Both the donor's liver and the recipient's organ regenerate.
When Gosling considered donating part of his liver to a stranger in need, "I couldn't help but sit there and think, 'You know, don't worry sweetheart, a piece of me is coming to help you out.' You can't imagine what that would make you feel like."
All of Gosling's former doctors attended the event to celebrate the medical first.
His wife was also there, beaming with pride. The parents of three say the recipient child will always have a special place in their hearts.
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