VANCOUVER – Mo Shariff is just one of many people currently in B.C. right waiting for an organ donation. He needs a new heart.
“I went into heart failure, back, late last year, previously I had a pacemaker, defibrillator, and then my heart continued to deteriorate, and I’ve been in heart failure and my kidneys failed too at the same time,” said Mo Shariff, speaking on Unfiltered with Jill Krop.
He said what most people don’t understand about being on a transplant list, is that you have to be well enough in order to receive a transplanted organ and patients are often not in hospital. “It’s more likely that they’re going to be out of hospital rather than in hospital,” said Shariff.
He has been on the transplant list since October 2013.
One of his daughters, Brianna, said it can be difficult watching her dad wait for a new heart.
“I think it’s kind of scary, but at the same time it gets the community together to think about how important it is to become an organ donor,” she said. “And it’s made me more aware, and it’s made me want to be an organ donor for people like my dad so they can survive and lead healthy lives.”
More than 400 people in B.C. are currently waiting for an organ transplant. Thirteen people are waiting for a heart transplant.
Dr. Jag Gill, the BC Transplant medical director, said there is a broad willingness among the public to sign up to be organ donors, however, 85 per cent of British Columbians agree with organ donation, yet only 19 per cent have registered to be a donor.
“I think the challenge really is communicating that,” he said on Unfiltered, “and that’s similar to what we were hearing from the Shariff family as well. If we look at how many people are actually registered in our province we’re under 20 per cent. So although I think the majority of people would want think of themselves as organ donors, that’s not being communicated to anybody.”
There is legislation in B.C. that every person who passes away in a hospital setting, that meets some eligibility criteria, should be referred to BC Transplant for an evaluation to be an organ donor.
Once that referral is made then BC Transplant coordinates much of the work after that point.
Shariff said he does not know where he is on the transplant list.
“There’s no way of knowing at all,” he told Jill Krop. “It’s a matter of having a match. Having a donor’s one thing, but having a match is another as well.”
Shariff said there are a number of things he can be exposed to that can make him sicker and Brianna said the family is just trying to stay positive.
“I hope that an organ comes soon,” said Shariff’s other daughter Alisha.
“When you’re dead, what do your organs serve you?” she added. “So please sign up.”
Global BC has partnered with BC Transplant to help sign up 48,000 new donors in 48 hours.
To register to become an organ donor or verify your registration, go to transplant.bc.ca.
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