Caitlin and Cristin's Story

We are unable to publicly identify donors due to privacy regulations in Ontario. Therefore, the names of the donor and her husband have been changed in this story to preserve their identities. ​

Mrs. C was a light that she shone on everyone around her. Her husband, Mr. C, met her during their first week of university together. He wasn’t looking for a relationship, but they were inseparable from that day on, and they got married after graduation. They were together for over 34 years and lovingly raised two remarkable daughters together.

As a nurse, Mrs. C was a caregiver by nature, and energized every room she was in. And as a mom, she was everything: “She never missed anything—she had breakfast ready for us in the morning, and she was there for every one of our hockey, soccer, baseball, and rugby games,” her eldest daughter, Cristin, shares. “She was so loving and kind, but was such a protective mama bear when it came to us. And she always had the loudest voice in the crowd. We could always hear her cheering us on,” adds Caitlin, her younger daughter.

Although she had preexisting conditions, Mrs. C’s sudden stroke following a scheduled surgery was totally unexpected. After a few weeks in hospital, her brain lost all activity and only machines were keeping her organs from failing.

Mrs. C was a registered organ donor, and she had spoken to her family about her wishes. “It was never a question for us. She told us she wanted to give as much of herself as she could after she died,” Cristin recalls. Mrs. C saved three lives through organ donation and donated samples for two research studies: “It was the most beautiful process. The nicest people helped us through it,” Cristin says of her mother’s donation. Caitlin adds, “It didn’t take away from our grieving or funeral planning…it actually made things a little easier; having that extra support [from donation staff], and the time to have that closure.”

Cristin and Caitlin acted as supports for their dad, and say they’ll never forget the donation coordinator and other staff: “They were super kind and thoughtful about how they approached us. They understood the weight of the question they were asking us [when confirming Mrs. C’s wishes to be a donor], and that she was still a person. From a family perspective, that was so important.”

Having had such a positive experience, Cristin and Caitlin have become true advocates for organ and tissue donation. They recently ran their first marathon (42 kilometres each) to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation, and did several news interviews for the cause—and they want to do more: “Donation is something that can not only change the lives of the recipients, but the donor families too. We want to help people understand that there can be meaning to the end of a loved one’s life, and that it can help families process their profound loss. It has definitely helped us.”

Cristin and Caitlin feel like organ and tissue donation has helped them feel connected to their mother: “This was just the kind of person she was. Even in death, she put this huge, altruistic gift out into the universe. Our part in that process, and now as advocates to try to increase donor registrations—it helps us feel like we’re carrying on a part of who she was in life.”