WINNIPEG -- In November 1969, the Manitoba’s very first kidney transplant from a deceased donor was completed.

The recipient’s daughter, Jean Roberts, says her father lived another 13 years, cherished time he spent with his wife and family.

“Those years allowed him to experience the addition of seven wonderful grandchildren,” she said in a news release. “It is with profound gratitude that we honour the doctors, nurses and all the staff who performed the province’s very first kidney transplant.”

Before that first milestone transplant, Manitoba patients would be sent to other facilities for care. It took a year of planning before it was determined kidney transplants could be done in the province. In October 1969 the procedure was approved by the hospital and the first one was done a month later.

“The same effort and determination to begin a transplant program still drives us today because the need for kidneys in Manitoba is increasing,” said Transplant Manitoba’s medical director Dr. Peter Nickerson.

Now Transplant Manitoba is celebrating its golden anniversary. Over those 50 years, the organ donation and kidney transplant program has grown and the procedure itself has become much less complicated.

As of today, 1,761 kidney transplants have been completed in the province, which includes 607 living donor transplants.

In 2014 mandatory referral to the Gift of Life program was introduced in Manitoba.

At that time, 35 per cent of potential donors were referred, which has since jumped to 94 per cent. Of those, more than half of the families decline organ donation, mainly because they don’t know their loved ones’ wishes.

Kathy Urban received a kidney 18 years ago from an anonymous deceased donor.

“Thanks to a family, that in their time of loss and sadness, said yes to organ donation,” said Urban. “I take every opportunity to tell my story and hopefully encourage one more person to sign up for life.”

She comes to Health Sciences Centre regularly for check-ups, and on her transplant anniversary, which she calls her ‘kidney day.’ That day, she drops off a letter to send to her donor’s family.

Each time she’s at the hospital she stops by the Tree of Life, a wire tree displaying the names of donors.

“It’s a comfort to know that my donors leaf is there with all the other heroes,” she said.