Meghan Rozema, from Sherwood Park, Alberta, donated part of her liver in 2021 to save a baby's life and later gave a kidney to an anonymous stranger who had been on dialysis for many years. This makes Rozema the first person in Alberta and one of few across Canada to donate two organs while living. Living donor coordinator Cassandra Garneau praises Rozema as a hero, highlighting her impact amidst a critical shortage of organ donors, with over 500 people waiting for transplants in Canada, most needing kidneys.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In 2021, Meghan Rozema from Sherwood Park, Alberta, donated part of her liver to save a baby’s life after seeing a Facebook post seeking kidney donors in 2018. Initially considering donating a kidney, she was told she could donate part of her liver first due to the urgency and higher survival chances for the recipient. Rozema had previously been inspired by her parents' blood donation efforts as a child but fell out of that habit until the Facebook post reignited her passion. She is now planning to donate one of her kidneys to another person in need, showcasing the significant impact living organ donations can have on saving lives in Canada, where over 500 people are waiting for life-saving transplants, with around 400 specifically needing new kidneys.
Written for “Organ Donation Heroicism” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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When Meghan Rozema was a kid, her parents used to donate blood all the time.
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parents → use → blood
She would tag along and enjoy the cookies and soup served after.
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She → tag → cookies
When she was old enough, Rozema started donating herself, when she could.
uncertain
she → start → ?
“Life went on, sometimes I would get busy,” she said.
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she → go → ?
“I got away from donating.”
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I → get → ?
In 2018, the Sherwood Park woman saw a post on Facebook of a man looking for a kidney donor.
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woman → see → donor
It opened up a conversation between her and her family.
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It → open → her
“The assumption is you would be a deceased donor but there is opportunity to donate while we’re still living,” she said.
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she → be → ?
Originally, she reached out to Give Life Alberta to see if she could donate a kidney.
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she → reach → kidney
The team told her she could also donate part of her liver, but she would need to do that before she could donate her kidney.
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she → tell → kidney
“The scar seemed intimidating.
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scar → seem → ?
It’s not a small scar,” she told Global News.
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she → ’ → News
“It’s a bigger recovery.”
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It → ’ → ?
After discussing it with her family, she decided it was the path she wanted to take.
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she → discuss → family
In 2021 she got the call to donate part of her liver.
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she → get → liver
“It went to a baby who probably wouldn’t have seen their first birthday without this transplant,” she said.
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she → go → transplant
“Now, anytime I look in the mirror and see the scar I thought of the baby and how they’d be growing and reaching milestones in their life.
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they → look → life
In the meantime, a family friend’s mother got sick.
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mother → get → meantime
Rozema intended to give her a kidney, but had to wait two years between surgeries before being able to do so.
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Rozema → intend → surgeries
“Unfortunately, she passed away before I was able to donate again,” she said.
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she → pass → ?
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Instead, Rozema anonymously donated her kidney to a stranger who had been on dialysis for many years.
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who → get → years
“The donation was in her honour,” she said of her friend’s mom.
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she → say → mom
Rozema is Alberta’s first living donor to give two organs and one of only a handful in Canada.
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Rozema → live → Canada
“She would be the first person to minimize her decision,” Cassandra Garneau, living donor coordinator for Give Life Alberta, said.
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Garneau → minimize → Alberta
“She’s a hero.”
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She → ’ → ?
More than 500 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in Canada and Garneau said 400 of those people specifically need a new kidney.
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400 → wait → kidney
Doctors can’t keep up with demand using just deceased donors, but many people don’t know what options are out there.
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options → keep → donors
“You can donate a kidney or a piece of your liver and still live a healthy life.”
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You → donate → life
Rozema joined Give Life Alberta representatives at the University of Alberta Hospital as part of Living Donor Awareness week from Sept 13-19.
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Rozema → join → Sept
“It’s an honor and also, it’s unfortunate that I am the only one,” Rozema added.
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Rozema → ’ → ?
While she usually shies away from the spotlight, Rozema hopes sharing her story will inspire others to consider donating.
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sharing → shy → others
“For me, my life went on,” she said.
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she → go → me
“I was able to exercise again.
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I → exercise → ?
I was able to enjoy my kid’s activities.”
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I → enjoy → activities
A short blip in your life that may be an interruption — that may be inconvenient for a short time,” she said.
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she → say → time
“But, the impact you have on someone else’s life is just incredible.”
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you → have → life
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