In the soft morning light that filters through the windows of Transcend Coffee on Jasper Avenue, Christine Martinez shares her story with me. Three years ago, her husband Miguel’s sudden brain aneurysm changed everything. Their family’s darkest moment transformed into hope for five other Edmonton families when Miguel became an organ donor.
“The hospital staff were compassionate, but after the donation, we felt alone,” Christine explains, stirring her coffee thoughtfully. “That’s when Andy’s Foundation found us.”
The Andy Polanski Organ Donor Family Foundation has been quietly supporting Edmonton families like Christine’s since 2017. Founded by Meredith Polanski after losing her son Andy in a motorcycle accident, the organization provides what many grieving donor families discover they desperately need – ongoing support after the donation process ends.
“People don’t realize there’s this gap,” says Meredith when I meet her at the foundation’s modest office near the Royal Alexandra Hospital. “Donor families are celebrated for their gift, but then they’re often left to navigate grief alone, carrying questions about their loved one’s donation journey.”
Alberta Health Services reports that organ donation rates in our province have increased by nearly 33% over the past five years, with Edmonton consistently showing higher donor registration rates than the provincial average. Each donor can potentially save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance many more through tissue donation.
But behind these encouraging statistics are real Edmonton families working through profound loss.
The foundation offers several programs uniquely tailored to donor family needs. Their monthly support circles bring together families who understand the specific experience of losing someone who became an organ donor. They provide guidance through the complex emotions that can arise when donor families consider contacting recipient families. They also help with memorial events that honor donors.
“Some families feel incredible peace knowing their loved one helped others,” explains Dr. Leanne Harris, transplant psychologist at the University of Alberta Hospital who volunteers with the foundation. “Others struggle with complicated feelings about the donation. Both responses are completely normal.”
For Christine Martinez, the foundation’s guidance helped when she received a letter from the woman who received Miguel’s heart.
“I wasn’t prepared for how emotional that would be,” Christine shares. “The foundation helped me process those feelings and write back.”
The organization operates primarily through volunteer work and community donations. Their annual Butterfly Release Memorial at Hawrelak Park has become a meaningful tradition for many donor families across our city.
Edmonton transplant recipient James Wong understands the importance of this work from another perspective. After receiving a kidney transplant in 2019, he began volunteering with the foundation.
“I’ve met my donor’s family,” James tells me during the foundation’s weekly volunteer meeting. “That connection has been healing for both of us, but getting there took time and support. What this foundation does matters deeply.”
The growing need for their services reflects both the success of organ donation programs and the ongoing work required to support families. Last year, the foundation helped over 70 Edmonton donor families, a number that continues to grow.
Alberta Health Minister Sarah Peterson recently acknowledged the foundation’s work during Organ Donation Awareness Week, noting that “the compassionate support provided to donor families is an essential part of our organ donation system.”
For those interested in supporting the foundation’s work, their website offers information about volunteer opportunities and donation options. They also provide resources for Edmontonians considering registering as organ donors.
As our city’s organ donation rates continue to climb, organizations like the Andy Polanski Foundation ensure that the families behind these life-saving gifts receive the ongoing support they deserve.
Christine Martinez now volunteers as a peer mentor with the foundation. “Miguel would be proud,” she says, showing me a butterfly pin on her jacket – the foundation’s symbol. “His gift helped others live. The foundation helped our family live too, just in a different way.”
For more information about organ donation in Alberta, visit the Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Registry website.
