Darla Breton, mother of Braylen Breton

With April being National Tissue and Organ Donation Month, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is using art to promote awareness.

Cree Artist Kevin Wesaquate was commissioned to create a piece that would draw attention to the desperate need for organ and tissue donors in Canada, especially within the Indigenous population.

His painting, titled NEWO, depicts a single body divided into four parts, each representing emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual health. Wesaquate says all four quadrants must be nurtured and cared for in order to be considered healthy.

Saskatchewan Health Authority Monica Keet says in Canada and Saskatchewan, the need for organs and tissues far outweighs the supply.

“In Canada, there are 4,400 people waiting for an organ and tissue transplant. Two-hundred-and-fifty Canadians die each year waiting for a lifesaving organ.”

She adds that one organ donor can save up to eight lives, and one tissue donor can impact the lives of up to 75 people. There are more people waiting for kidney transplants than any other organ, and in Saskatchewan, there are roughly 60 people waiting for this life altering surgery. The SHA adds that at any given time, the percentage of Indigenous people on the transplant waitlist is 10-20 per cent.

Becoming an organ donor is getting easier all the time. The SHA no longer hands out donor stickers. Instead, anyone over the age of sixteen can register online in just a few minutes using their name and health card number.

Keet encourages everyone to have the discussion with their family members, as they will be the ones speaking on your behalf in the case you’re not able to.

This instance was a reality for Darla Breton. In 2023, her son Braylen took his own life. Although sudden and tragic, Darla says he was able to donate six of his organs to people in need, and his heart still beats to this day.

Like Braylen, Saskatchewan residents can register to become organ and tissue donors at Givelifesask.ca.

Braylen Breton