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What makes someone donate a kidney to a stranger?

What makes someone donate a kidney to a stranger?
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Quebec woman agrees to donate her kidney to a stranger.

Earlier this week, an article about a Quebec woman who donated her kidney to a stranger, made the rounds across social media. 

After watching the health of her good friend decline over recent years (as she suffered through several dialysis treatments each week), Dominique Boucher decided to learn more about kidney transplants. After extensive research, she discovered the Kidney Paired Donation Program— a Canadian organization that gives individuals an opportunity to become a living donor and donate a kidney to someone in need. Not long after, Boucher decided to put that information to good use and donate her kidney to someone she has never met.

"At first, my goal was to donate a kidney to my friend, but unfortunately we are not compatible," Boucher told CBC.

"I donate a kidney to a stranger," she said. "I will never know to whom I donated a kidney, because it remains confidential, but the same day that I am going to be operated on, there is also a stranger who will donate a kidney to my friend."

According to the Canadian Transplant Society, over 1,600 Canadians are added to organ wait lists yearly but while 90% majority of Canadians support organ and tissue donation, less than 20% have made plans to donate.

That got us thinking— or rather it has Cat Spencer asking another tough question on the drive home show.

With more and more people donating their spare kidney, would you donate a kidney to someone you've never met?

The idea is layered with questions of risk and benefit, sacrifice, and selfishness, not to mention having to go through the surgery itself.

Find out what Cat and Claudia think and what they would do. Listen below. Enjoy! 

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