The Alberta government has announced that it is providing a $200,000 grant to the Kidney Foundation of Canada to create an organ donor reimbursement program in Alberta.
At a press conference yesterday, Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky and members of the Foundation unveiled the new program, saying that it will not only help those who are donating organs, but those who receive them as well.
“ We feel confident that … this will help make organ donations easier, more widespread and will literally give life to other Albertans,” said Zwozdesky.
The new program aims to help around 200 Albertans per year during its two-year pilot phase. It will enable living organ donors in Alberta who are donating a kidney, or part of a liver or lung, to receive up to $5,500 back from the program over the course of their recovery.
The money will cover travel and accommodation at the final stages of the donor assessment process, meals and accommodation following surgery, and loss of income during recovery.
While this is only a pilot program for now, it is the fourth of its kind in Canada, and Zwozdesky said he is optimistic about its outcome.
“It would be my hope that this would be more than just a pilot because its already proven to be so effective elsewhere,” he said.
