A Penticton man is thankful to have his life back after receiving a kidney transplant last week.

Jason Yadlowski has been on kidney dialysis for over a year, but was given a second chance at life last week when he learned he would be receiving a transplant. Coincidentally, when Yadlowski arrived at Vancouver General Hospital to have the procedure done, he ran into former Penticton Indian Band Chief Stewart Phillip who was also receiving a kidney transplant.

Yadlowski and Phillip had become friends over the last two years as they got to know to know each other during their regular dialysis treatments at Penticton Regional Hospital.

Yadlowski received his transplant Monday, Feb. 1 and Phillip含羞草研究社檚 surgery was performed Wednesday, Feb. 3. Both Penticton men are recovering well in hospital.

Yadlowski, who works at the Penticton Rec centre, was shocked to discover another Pentictonite 含羞草研究社� let alone someone he knew 含羞草研究社� was undergoing the same surgery at the same hospital as him.

含羞草研究社淚 didn含羞草研究社檛 know he was also getting a kidney at the same time,含羞草研究社� said Yadlowski. 含羞草研究社淚 was in my hospital bed and asked the person next to me, 含羞草研究社榳here you from?含羞草研究社� and he said Penticton and I was like 含羞草研究社榦h, I含羞草研究社檓 from Penticton, what are the odds of that含羞草研究社� and it ended up being him!含羞草研究社�

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Yadlowski含羞草研究社檚 kidney came from a deceased donor while Phillip含羞草研究社檚 was donated by his daughter. Both men will stay in Vancouver for another two to three months for regular check-ins with doctors.

Yadlowski and Phillip were previously receiving kidney dialysis treatments at Penticton Regional Hospital, requiring treatments three days a week for three to four hours. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 pretty much a part-time job,含羞草研究社� Yadlowski said of his dialysis treatments.

Now that he has received a transplant, Yadlowski is elated to have his life back. 含羞草研究社淵ou feel so much better含羞草研究社� there含羞草研究社檚 no more dialysis and you start feeling pretty normal again,含羞草研究社� said the father of two. 含羞草研究社淵ou have your life back really and it含羞草研究社檚 thanks to someone giving you a kidney or you would die.含羞草研究社�

After two years on dialysis, Yadlowski was elated to learn doctors had found him a donor.

Doctors told Yadlowski and his family that they had found a donor at 9 p.m. the night before he was expected to be in Vancouver for surgery. 含羞草研究社淎s soon as one comes up that matches you, they give you a call and you have to leave right away, like right now,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a scramble but we did it,含羞草研究社� Yadlowski含羞草研究社檚 wife Julie Forrest said. She will be by his side helping him recover in Vancouver for the next few months.

The biggest thing he含羞草研究社檚 now excited for is being able to watch his kids grow up, said the father of an eight-year-old and 10-year-old.

含羞草研究社淚t will just be nice for Jason to be able see them go to the beach and swim and grow up,含羞草研究社� said Julie.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 tough to even say in words but you含羞草研究社檙e just so grateful,含羞草研究社� Yadlowski said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 going to make this battle for them (the donor) too, so them dying and giving me the kidney didn含羞草研究社檛 go to waste. I含羞草研究社檓 going to live life with my kids to the fullest for them too.含羞草研究社�

Many people are unaware of how easy it is to become an organ and potentially save a life, Yadlowski. He encourages anyone who may be interested in organ donation to look further into the process.

For more information on kidney transplants in B.C., visit .

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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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