When Julian Martino was identified with end-stage renal illness in December 2023, he didn’t put his life on maintain—he doubled down on serving to others.
Whereas present process dialysis, the now 25-year-old accomplished a nursing diploma and works as a hemodialysis nurse, caring for sufferers dwelling with the identical sickness.
“Whereas many individuals on this place battle simply to maintain going, Julian completed nursing faculty and now works within the discipline—treating sufferers with the very situation he lives with,” stated his father, Dr. Pat Martino, a Brampton-based dentist and graduate of the College of Toronto School of Dentistry, Class of 1992.
Julian urgently wants a kidney transplant. Neither Dr. Martino nor his spouse is in a position donate resulting from pre-existing medical situations.
The household has been suggested by the College Well being Community (UHN) in Toronto to share Julian’s story within the hopes of discovering a dwelling donor match.
Working out of Toronto Basic Hospital, UHN’s Ajmera Transplant Centre is Canada’s largest organ transplant program—and among the many largest in North America. In 2024, the centre carried out greater than 700 organ transplantsoffering lifelong care to 1000’s of recipients. Throughout the centre, the Kidney Transplant Program is the nation’s largest, having accomplished greater than 5,000 kidney transplants since its inception, together with over 1,600 from dwelling donors.
Discovering an appropriate dwelling kidney donor could be difficult resulting from components resembling blood sort compatibility, tissue matching, medical eligibility and the bodily calls for of surgical procedure and restoration. In lots of circumstances, keen donors are dominated out resulting from underlying well being situations or immunological incompatibilities.
“Julian’s case isn’t simply private—it’s a uncommon intersection of affected person and health-care supplier,” Dr. Martino stated. “He’s dwelling the truth of end-stage kidney illness whereas serving to others navigate it on daily basis.”
Involved in changing into a donor? Go to uhn.ca/transplant or name UHN’s Dwelling Donor Program at 416 340 4800 ext. 7568. You may also e mail Dr. Martino at dr.pat@rogers.com in case you want any extra info.
