‘Put yourself in my shoes’: Retired veteran seeks federal support bringing potential kidney donor to Canada for transplant

Time is of the essence for a retired B.C. veteran searching for a living kidney donor.

A retired Canadian Armed Forces major in Shawnigan Lake, B.C., is going public with his plea to Veterans Affairs to reverse a decision that could help save his life.

“Put yourself in my shoes,” says Ret. Maj. Bruce Sand. “If you had somebody giving you a kidney and it was a lifesaving decision, why would you not help them? It’s a money thing. That’s what it boils down to.”

Sand has a type of kidney disease that’s been linked to his service with the Canadian Armed Forces in Haiti between 2006-07 – and is causing the health of his kidneys to fail.

“I’m now down to 18 per cent function. At 15 per cent function, I start having to go on dialysis or the other treatment, which is a kidney transplant,” says Sand.

He’s rooting for the transplant. Due to his age, Sand says he’s low on the priority list for a cadaver kidney. He’s taken matters into his own hands to pre-plan for the optimal window of surgery – and found a potential donor through a friend he once serviced with who lives in Zimbabwe.

“It’s the single greatest gift you can give anybody is to give them a piece of your body that will keep them alive,” says Sand. “I will be eternally grateful to Mike for that.”

Sand says the two are going for testing and it appears his friend could be a match to his rare B+ blood type. But he says Veterans Affairs is denying financial coverage for the cost to get him to Canada (plus return) for any future transplant.

“I can certainly pay for the ticket if I have to. But I don’t believe I should have to,” he says. “I believe it’s a duty, an obligation of Veterans Affairs to support me as a 100 per cent disabled veteran.”

Veterans Affairs Canada told CTV News it handles each situation on a case-by-case basis and that it’s committed to making sure veterans can access the services and supports they’re entitled to.

“In order to respect and protect an individual’s privacy under the Privacy Act, VAC cannot comment on individual cases,” says VAC spokesperson, Marc Lescoutre.

Sand acknowledges he received compensation from VAC in 2013, but insists the agency should also have a duty to assist with treatment. He says the costs for himself and the donor would be covered while in hospital through B.C.’s medical services plan.

“It’s a live tissue prosthesis. It’s not any different than a veteran who loses his leg to a landmine getting an artificial limb manufactured and fitted to suit him or her,” he says.

Sand has written to the minister of veterans affairs, appealing his case.

“I think Veterans Affairs has lost their way with putting the veteran first,” he says.