Donated-organ recipient says province should make donations 'barrier free'

A recipient of three donated organssayshe fully supports a Newfoundland and Labradorfamily who decided not to donate their loved one'sorgans because of a change in the province's organ procurement policy and adds there should be a mobile procurement team.

• Organ donation policy change keeps family from donating man's organs

David Jones, 33, who has had three kidney transplants due to a congenital defect, said he "fully supports" the Park family's decision to not send Derek Park aloneto St. John'sin an air ambulance for organ harvesting.

The family was "stunned" when a change inpolicy meantan organ procurement team would not be sent to Corner Brook,where Derek Parkwas being kept onlife support.

After his death,Parkwascremated without having any organs removed.

Jones,who had hisfirst transplantwhen he was only 11,saidhe "fully supports" the Park family's decision,and he thinks the policy is backwards, especiallyin a province with high rates of diabetes anddialysis. The family would not have been able to travel with Derek Park on the air ambulance.

"I think the province and the health authority should understand. You have a loved one who has essentially passed, who's alive on life support," he said.

"And exactly what Shawna[Park] said, they're still breathing in their eyes, their heart is still beating. You do not want to take that loved one away, send them eight hoursto St. John's with no provision to get the family out there."

Jones saidthe provinceput up barriers and itshould make organ donation"completely barrier-free" ifit wants itto be something that everybody does.

"If somebody costed out dialysis versus transplant, I guarantee you giving somebody a transplant and maintainingthem on that transplant over a lifetime would be much cheaper."

Mobile procurement team

Jones also said the province should have a mobile procurement team that can harvest the organs where the person is.

"These people were not in outport Newfoundland in a clinic.They were inone of the major centres,in Corner Brook, with an [operating room]."

"There should have been more explanation to the family as to why, other than, 'Wellit's a policy change.' When we're looking at people's health care fiscal responsibility aside youshould be looking at the emotions and the impact it has on thefamiliesthat arewilling to donate."

As for his own health,Jonessaidhis current kidney is "abitwishy washy" so he may transition back to dialysis and the transplant list again.

"As somebodywho has dealt with chronic illness for a long time, I kind of just take it one day at a time and I try not to have too many highs or lows, I kind of keep [an] even keel."