Perspective
 The Making of a Living Donor
With the ongoing shortage of donor organs, living donors are becoming critical to saving lives. But what makes someone want to donate to someone they’ve never met? In honour of Organ Donor Month, we asked 39-year-old, mother of two, Jacklyn Wright, to share why she became a living donor in 2016.
I was thinking what if I could save a life? What if I could save a parent from the devastation of losing their baby? That would be verging on miraculous. I could donate part of my liver, and someone else could live. Simple. Sometimes the simple things are the most rewarding.
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Issues in Liver Health
 Making every liver count
Across the country, there are hundreds of people on waiting lists hoping that today is the day they’ll get the call that a matching liver is available. Despite this overwhelming demand however, each year, an estimated 20 percent of available donor livers must be refused for transplant because they are damaged in some way. To those on the waiting list, those livers could be the difference between life and death.
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Donors Making a Difference
 Scoring for liver research
When Ottawa companies need IT support, the staff of TEK Systems is there for them. They are committed to going above and beyond for their clients, but they believe in doing the same for the community.
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What's New in Liver Research
 Revealing the secrets of why the immune system turns on the liver
Judy and Joan are in their 70s and both have lived with PBC (primary biliary cholangitis) for more than 20 years. Their stories begin the same way. Neither had any recognizable symptoms but were diagnosed after blood tests showed elevated liver enzymes. Both were prescribed the same medication to help slow down the progression of their disease. But that’s where the similarities end.
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Good News
New research and training grants for 2017
Thanks to the support of our generous donors, we are proud to announce that the CLF will be awarding 10 new research grants. The grants will fund the work of four senior investigators, one graduate and five undergraduate students working with established researchers. A total of 59 submissions have been received for the three grant categories and our grant review committees will be evaluating the proposals over the coming weeks. Our summer studentships will be awarded in May, the graduate studentship in June and operating grants in July. Stay tuned for details of the important work these grants will be funding!
The Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL) with support from the CLF has granted four fellowships which will provide one year of funding to train a young physician to become a clinical hepatologist in Canada. This extra training is critical for these individuals to become the eventual local, regional, national and international leaders in hepatology. Two recipients are in Toronto and two in Edmonton and they will begin their training in July.
Leaders in liver health
 Those who devote their careers to bringing liver research to life are truly in a league of their own. Each year, the CLF recognizes the work of both Canadian and world leaders in liver health. Our 2017 Gold Medal recipient is Dr. Anna Lok from the University of Michigan who has dedicated her career to improving the future for patients with hepatitis B and C and has been instrumental in the testing of new treatments.
 The recipient of the 2016 Sass-Kortsak Award (presented in 2017) for outstanding accomplishment in the field of pediatric hepatology is Dr. Eve Roberts. Dr. Roberts is not only a leader in her field but an outspoken advocate for liver health and a loyal supporter of the Canadian Liver Foundation.
Bringing liver health education to the community
The LIVERight Health Forum in Vancouver attracted 800 people keen to learn about liver disease from some of the province’s top doctors. The forum agenda included presentations on hepatitis C, hepatitis B, fatty liver, children’s liver diseases, liver cancer treatment, cirrhosis and liver-healthy eating. The audience also had the opportunity to ask questions as part of a Q&A session with the guest speakers. To make the content as accessible as possible, the audience could take advantage of live translation into both Cantonese and Mandarin. The next LIVERight Health Forum will be held in Calgary on April 29.
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 When you’re looking for effective ways to get out stains, fight odours or disinfect surfaces, sometimes homemade solutions are not only less toxic but also more effective than today’s most popular cleaning products.
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 ‘Living proof’ that volunteering makes a difference
When Angela first came to the CLF she was fighting for her life but was driven by the desire to help others. Diagnosed with advanced liver disease in 2008, she was told she was going to need a liver transplant. To keep busy and positive, she decided to start volunteering, something that had always been her passion.
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Rally your friends and family and sign up as a team to participate in one of our family-friendly Stroll for Liver events. Visit www.strollforliver.ca or click on a location below to register today!
- Springhill, NS – May 8
- Edmonton, AB – June 3
- Toronto, ON – June 3
- Sarnia, ON – June 3
- Red Deer, AB - June 4
- Calgary, AB – June 10
- Moncton, NB – June 10
- Ottawa, ON – June 10
- Vancouver, BC – June 11
- Lac du Bonnet, MB – August 12
- Winnipeg, MB – August 26
Are you or someone you know living with liver disease? Or do you want to learn more about how to protect your liver health? Have your questions answered by experts at the free LIVERight Health Forum in Calgary, April 29. For details and to register, click here.
In 2017, our Give’r for Liver teams will tackle courses in Honolulu (completed), Calgary (May 28), Seattle (June 18) and Montreal (Sept 24). To learn more about Canadian Liver Foundation’s destination marathon event, sign up or make a pledge for the team, visit www.giverforliver.ca
Mark your calendars now and plan to join us for our 2017 LIVERight Galas in Toronto (Nov 3), Ottawa (Nov 11), Calgary(Nov 25), and Vancouver(Nov 25). Details will be available soon on www.liverightgala.ca
International Meeting on Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
This fall, the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL) will host a much-needed meeting of fatty liver disease researchers and clinicians from around the world. With support from the CLF, these international experts will meet to discuss how to tackle fatty liver disease prevention, diagnosis, management, treatment and research.
September 9-11, 2017
Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, MB
Details & registration info at
www.liver.ca/2017NAFLDMeeting
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