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Rich Griffin's gift inspires transplant recipient

Thanks to a recent kidney donation, a Sudbury man feels better than he has in 40 years.
Thanks to a recent kidney donation, a Sudbury man feels better than he has in 40 years.

Bob Johnston – not to be confused with the city's former interim CAO and current CEO of the Sudbury Airport – said he could not believe his good fortune when he received a call Oct. 23 from the London Health Sciences Centre they had found a kidney that was a perfect match.

“I saw a photo of my son and wife, and started crying,” he said. “It was a happy cry, because I knew I would have another 10 or 20 years of good life due to that organ donor.”

Johnston has been diabetic for 35 years, and has suffered a number of complications due to his illness.

His left leg was amputated below the knee in 2013, and two months later his doctors told him he had severe kidney disease.

He started to feel sluggish, had no energy, and suffered bouts of depression, which he had never experienced before.

But he was fortunate he never had to go on dialysis, because a donor came through before his condition reached that point.

“If I had a choice of winning the LOTTO 6/49 or a kidney, the way I feel right now, keep your money,” Johnston said. “I can't believe how good I feel after such a short period of time.”

With his new-found energy, and a second chance at life, Johnston, who has long given his time to the Blue Door Soup Kitchen, decided he could help bring more awareness to the great need for more organ donors in Ontario.

Greater Sudbury has the highest organ donor rates in the province, where the communities of Lively and Garson have donation rates of 55 and 54 per cent respectively.

But the provincial organ donor rate is only 27 per cent, and in Toronto the donor rate drops to 18 per cent.

Johnston said he was inspired by former KISS 105.3 morning host Rich Griffin to do his part to encourage more people to become organ donors.

Griffin died suddenly on May 23, 2015 of a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

After he was declared brain dead, doctors kept his body on life support for two days, so they could fulfill his wishes to donate his organs.

Griffin's heart, lungs, kidneys and liver saved five lives, and his tissues will impact more through future transplants and research.

On Monday his widow, Nancy Griffin, launched the #1Saves8 Campaign in his honour.

The campaign takes its name from the fact that one person can save up to eight lives by donating their organs and tissues.

Tickets for the first annual Rich Griffin #1Saves8 Gala went on sale Monday.

The event will be held Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Holiday Inn, 1696 Regent Street. Tickets are available at 1Saves8.ca for $148 per person. Funds raised will support Northern Ontario transplant patients and their families.

Johnston, who is a classic car enthusiast, said he hopes to get in touch with Nancy Griffin to organize a classic car show and parade that would raise funds and awareness for the #1Saves8 Campaign.

To register as a organ donor visit beadonor.ca.

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Jonathan Migneault

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