Founded in 1969, the St. Michael’s Kidney Transplant Program is one of the largest and most innovative adult kidney transplant programs in Canada. Our biggest strength is in our partnership with patients and community partners. We make sure our patients get personalized care and the information to make the right decisions for them.
Our program receives referrals from more than 30 dialysis centres and kidney clinics in the Greater Toronto Area and throughout Ontario. Each year our team completes approximately 150 transplants, and we continue to follow almost 2000 patients who have had a transplant.
Living donors (people who want to donate a kidney) come to us from across Canada and from around the world. About 1 in 5 transplants we do at St. Michael’s come from living donors. We were the first transplant program in North America to offer a new treatment that allows people to have a transplant from a living donor with a different blood group with fewer side effects.
Our team includes nephrologists, nurses, a social worker, a pharmacist, a dietitian and other support staff. Each role plays an important part in your care. Some ways we help are:
- Nephrologists are kidney doctors and they will go over your medical history, blood and urine tests, complete a physical exam and will check if you can have a transplant or donate a kidney.
- Nurses in our clinic are central to your care. They will evaluate your health concerns, review your medical history, blood and urine tests, complete a physical exam and help you manage your care throughout the life of your kidney.
- Social workers will meet with potential transplant recipients and living donors to determine if they are ready for transplant surgery. They support patients to navigate time off work, get medication coverage, and get peer support after transplantation/living donation.
- Dietitians will complete a nutrition assessment including understanding what you are eating and reviewing your medical history, blood and urine tests. The dietitian will provide education on nutrition needs after transplant including food safety and living a healthy life.
- Pharmacists are core members of the transplant team. They will work with you and your care team to ensure that you are is receiving the best medication therapy. They help with monitoring anti-rejection medications, screening for drug interactions, and making medication recommendations. They also teach you about your medications, including how to prevent side effects and make sure you are taking them consistently.
- Many of our patients live with diabetes. We have a nurse practitioner and diabetes educator who help people manage their blood sugars after they have had a transplant. They provide teaching, dose adjustments, and educational materials to help you understand and take control of your diabetes.
- Support staff are key to keeping our program running smoothly. They greet you when you come in, help to schedule appointments and tests, and answer questions about follow-up care. Support staff work with the transplant team to help coordinate your care but cannot offer medical advice.
Talk to us!
If you have a concern or compliment about your care in the Transplant Program, you can reach the Clinical Leader Manager Michelle Gabriel at 416-864-5293. Or you can reach Unity Health’s Patient Relations at 416-864-5215.