Kelowna Woman’s Long Wait for Liver Transplant Highlights System Strain

A Kelowna woman is facing a prolonged and uncertain wait for a life-saving liver transplant, a situation that highlights ongoing challenges and backlog pressures within Canada’s organ transplant system. Pamela Paradis, a long-time Kelowna resident, has been living with liver disease for years and was eventually placed on the transplant waiting list — but mounting delays and a shortage of suitable donors have made her journey particularly difficult.

Paradis and her family say the extended wait has taken a toll on her health and quality of life, forcing frequent medical appointments, hospital visits and a constant battle with fatigue and pain while she hopes for a compatible donor match.

Friends, community members and advocacy groups have rallied around her, sharing her story to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and urging more Canadians to register as donors.

Healthcare professionals note that organ shortages are not unique to Kelowna or British Columbia; across Canada, patients often wait months or even years for vital organs, with some never receiving a transplant in time. Paradis’s supporters stress that increased organ-donor registration, public education and support for transplant programs could help reduce waiting times and save lives. Meanwhile, Paradis continues her day-to-day life with the support of loved ones, determined to stay hopeful as she awaits the call that a donor match has finally been found.