Hélène's reached Vancouver! For recent updates follow her on Twitter: @alungstory
Check out Hélène's travel blog post from her cross-Canada trip
Double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell – known for her efforts to raise awareness about organ donation and for her appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show— has embarked on a cross-Canada journey on VIA Rail to raise awareness of organ donation and fundraise for patients in need of a transplant.
The fundraising trip, in support of Campbell’s Give2Live Campaign, began at Toronto’s Union Station on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
It will include stops at hospitals and transplant centres across the country, including in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.
Fundraising events are scheduled for each stop. Money raised will help cover the cost of things often not fully covered by the health care system— including food, accommodations, transportation and non-medical supplies for transplant patients and their families.
Out-of-pocket cost for a patient on the transplant waiting list can be as high as $10,000.
"Many patients waiting for an organ transplant are required to live within two hours of the hospital, but more often than not, this means uprooting from their home and finding new housing along with paying for medical equipment, food and transportation while they wait for a transplant,” Campbell explained. “The cost to do all this can be overwhelming, especially at a time when their health is not the best and they are not working.”
Campbell received her lung transplant at Toronto General Hospital in April 2012. She developed a following through her blog and by attracting the attention of celebrities Justin Bieber and Ellen DeGeneres.
