'anonymous angels' of living organ donation
6 minute read
helene goldberg (centre, right) had support from her husband and two sons since day one of her journey with living organ donation.
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helene goldberg never had organ donation on her “bucket list” until she received a pamphlet in the mail that changed everything. the pamphlet provided information about kidney donation, which piqued her interest enough for her to throw her name in the ring, undergoing all the necessary tests to determine if she was a viable donor.
the process took about nine months, during which she was matched with the person who would receive her kidney, and when she was administered the very last test, helene was disqualified.
“it was really devastating because i had a name, and they only test one person at a time,” she said. “i sort of let that go. it took me a while because i was really excited about it.”
her foray into living organ donation didn’t stop there, though. almost two years later, the toronto woman read an article in the national post that sparked her passion for living organ donation all over again.
“there was a couple-page article by elizabeth payne, and it was about the first living liver organ donor, kevin gosling, and i was really inspired by it because he made it sound so attainable,” she said. “so, at the end of the article, there was a link to toronto’s university health network (uhn), and i said to my husband, ‘i’m going to fill out this medical history. what do you think?’ and he goes, ‘yeah, sure. whatever you want.’”
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helene’s husband and two sons were incredibly supportive from the start, both with her desire to donate her kidney and then again when she switched gears to her liver. a couple of weeks after she filled out the questionnaire with uhn, she got the call.
after confirming her interest, helene went through two appointments to learn more about what living liver organ donation was all about, what it would be like, and what type of recovery she would be looking at afterward.
when the testing was said and done, helene matched with three babies, and her surgery was scheduled. she notes that the entire process felt safe and thorough, to the point where if at any point she changed her mind, even seconds before putting out before the surgery, she could say no.
once the doctors chose a baby to receive a piece of helene’s liver, and she made it clear that she wasn’t backing out, the surgery went off without a hitch. today, helene has recovered, and the baby she saved, who remains anonymous to her, has just celebrated their first birthday.
giving a chance to a stranger
helene doesn’t get to meet the baby she saved with her generous donation, but she does know that somewhere out there, a child is now growing up healthy because of her selfless act.
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and she doesn’t mind much that it’s remained anonymous, because as a mother, she knows just how significant the impact she’s had not only on the child, but on the family as well. but she remains positive that one day, their paths will cross.
“maybe i’ll cross paths with the parents at some point, and we’ll just make that connection. maybe my kids … through their careers, they’ll connect with the baby,” she said. i really think that the world works in mysterious ways and somehow our worlds will be brought together.”
regardless of whether or not they do ever meet, the joy helene feels having given a piece of herself so that someone else could live is hard to match and is right up there with having her kids and getting married.
“this baby and this family are always in my heart. i think of them every day,” she said. “i feel a connection with this family, and being anonymous, it’s fine, because i know that this baby is out there in the world and is doing really well.”
preparing and recovering from an optional major surgery
helene knew from the jump that she would be having major surgery, and that her choice to do so wasn’t forced by her own health but by a desire to give back to someone who could significantly benefit.
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she was healthy enough to do it, so she figured, why not, even if it came with time off work and a long road to recovery, which she notes was “really amazing” because of all the staff at toronto general hospital.
“they prepared me so well from the start of even being evaluated,” she said. “they told me what the procedure was in detail. they didn’t leave anything out, and they told me about the recovery, and they also provided me with everything in writing. i knew what medication i would be taking home. i checked with my insurance to see what would be covered and what i’d have to pay for out of pocket, which wasn’t much.”
helene was giving every single bit of information possible so that she was ready and prepared for every step of her journey with living organ donation.
before the surgery, helene went out of her way to keep her body and mind in tip-top shape. she did weightlifting and cardio regularly, she ate as healthily as possible, and she let the healthcare providers in her life know what she was doing so that they were prepared for the aftermath.
after the surgery was said and done, she spent only six days in the hospital. after about two weeks, she returned to massage therapy, and about six weeks later, she was able to see her chiropractor for physiotherapy to help with mobility.
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she also took time off work to deal with her recovery, easing back in with half days and then eventually returning to her regular full-time schedule.
“i thought i could go back sooner to full days, and i did for a week and a half, but i was really tired,” she said. “your body’s not used to sitting and focusing.”
so, she spent her time focusing on smaller goals, such as watching a movie a day.
her main goal with her recovery was to be able to raise money and participate in the yorkville run, a charity run in toronto that supports several local causes, including the uhn foundation’s centre for living organ donation. she and her husband have since successfully raised money, and she is now ready to walk the run taking place on september 7, 2025.
“i wanted to make sure i was in the best shape that i am to do that walk and to meet people and to be around people and to be inspired by other people and hear other people’s stories,” she said. “i want to make sure that i’m there.”
leaning on support and gratitude
when the people in helene’s life began finding out what she had done, support came rolling in like waves. her husband posted about it on social media, and people sent well wishes, accolades, food, flowers, and visitors.
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helene notes that she had already known that the people she and her family surrounded themselves with were good friends, but the show of support after finding out about what she had done was “overwhelming.”
inspiring others in the hopes of creating more living donors
helene shares her story and her scar as a badge of honour in the hopes that others will see that, although it’s a major surgery, the benefit of giving as a living donor is indescribable. she continues to spread awareness about her experience and how beautiful it is to be a part of something so significant.
“because you’re a parent, and you’re putting yourself in these parents’ shoes that they weren’t matches for their kid. can you imagine? someone comes out of the blue who’s going to give your kid a liver and that’s just saved your kid’s life,” she said. “i can’t explain the feeling that i have inside. if you could do it, why wouldn’t you?”
she goes on to note that not everyone can do it, and that’s okay. but there are other ways to be a part of this life-saving journey that is organ donation.
“you could sign your organ donor card. you can give plasma. you can give blood. there’s so much you could do to help someone in need that you don’t know, and that’s really what makes it worth it, being able to walk away knowing you made a significant difference in somebody else’s life. it’s surreal.”
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for more information on uhn’s living organ donor program or how to become a living donor, head to their information page here.
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