First Nations and Métis Organ Donation and Transplantation Network

09/05/2025

Café Scientifique Video Series! 🎥

Dr. Caroline Tait: Building Equity and Inclusion in Organ Donation and Transplantation for Indigenous People.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPaNaXf-sr0&list=PLhBJGRs7ZhR9_xowQYGwhNdD4UJ9uTMyv&index=4

CDTRP - Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program

Caroline Tait is Métis from MacDowall, Saskatchewan. She is trained as a medical anthropologist with research interests in addressing Indigenous health inequ...

08/14/2025

Café Scientifique Video Series! 🎥

Dr. Jag Gill: Working with Indigenous People in Transplant Medicine – The BRIDGE to Transplant Initiative.

Access recording here:

CDTRP - Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program

Dr. Jagbir Gill is currently an Associate Professor in the Division of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC). ...

06/21/2025

Café Scientifique Video Series! 🎥Prioritizing Organ Donation & Transplantation for Indigenous People

We’re honoured to feature Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, in our next Café Scientifique video. A tireless advocate for Indigenous rights and justice, Grand Chief Phillip shares powerful reflections on leadership, resilience, and his personal journey, including receiving a kidney transplant from his daughter in 2021.

CDTRP - Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program
UBCIC

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip is the President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), a position he has served for the past 26 years after being reelected i...

06/15/2025

Welcome to SK-NEIHR, the nātawihowin (pronunciation) and mamawiikikayaahk (pronunciation) Research, Training and Mentorship Networks. We facilitate First Nations and Métis health research, training, and knowledge mobilization throughout Saskatchewan that is grounded in community and led by Méti...

06/12/2025

Café Scientifique Video Series! 🎥

We are pleased to provide highlights from Café Scientifique: Pathways to Truth and Reconciliation: Organ Donation and Transplantation. This was the first national gathering to center Indigenous lived experience and expertise in donation and transplantation in Canada.

Our first featured video shares insights from Celia Deschambeault, who speaks to the unique challenges and systemic barriers faced by northern and remote communities.

📺 Watch now:

Introduction to the Pathways to Truth and Reconciliation: Organ Donation and Transplantation Café Scientifique (Canadian Session) and first presenter, Celia ...

12/07/2024

Cast your vote now for Dr. Caroline Tait's, Sean Muir's, Kevin Settee's, and Craig Settee's, SACRED GIFT, to help them win the “2025 ISN Film Community Best Film” award!

Vote and watch here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ISNfilm2025

Help spread the word, like and share this post!

12/07/2024

🎥✨ Sacred Gifts ✨🎥

Last Wednesday, December 4, Dr. Caroline Tait premiered Sacred Gifts, an inspiring animation that shares the inspiring true story of Kevin and Craig, two First Nations brothers whose journey is a testament to love, resilience, and the transformative power of organ donation.

The video follows Kevin’s path, from his early experiences as a pediatric kidney patient to the life-changing moment when his brother Craig made the extraordinary decision to become his living donor.

Watch this incredible animation here!

Sacred Gifts tells the powerful true story of two First Nations brothers, Kevin, a kidney transplant recipient, and his brother, Craig, who chose to become h...

11/03/2024

Dear friends,

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Gilbert Kewistep, a man from whom so many of us have learned over the years. Gilbert was a kind, gentle, and humble soul – a source of strength and inspiration for all of us. His wisdom, generosity, and gentle spirit will be deeply missed.

Gilbert was a knowledge keeper on our Saskatchewan NEIHR network and in the Saskatchewan Indigenous Mentorship Network before that. He guided us as a Sacred Pipe Carrier and a member of the Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis Organ Donation and Transplantation Think Tank.

Hailing from the Saulteaux/Nakaway Linguistic group in central Saskatchewan and originally from the Yellowquill First Nation, Gilbert lived in Saskatoon and contributed greatly to the life of the community. He was the proud father of four daughters and five sons, and a loving grandfather and great-grandfather to many. He was a cherished Elder, a dedicated social worker, and a beloved professor at First Nations University. As a survivor of both the Residential School System and the Sixties Scoop, he devoted his life to helping others heal from trauma with compassion and wisdom. His impact was profound, reaching far beyond Saskatoon and Saskatchewan.

Let us honour Gilbert’s memory by embracing the values of truth and reconciliation that he held dear, and by supporting each other. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

We are sharing a few videos so we can still hear Gilbert’s wise words.

A 2020 video with Judy Pelly on the importance of Orange Shirt Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F-ndcl1cuQ&t=325s

A 2021 reconciliation talk on the importance of the seasons https://youtu.be/ldF3lPlE0zg?si=S7TB8OPhBjgEc3r7

Gilbert and his son Neal in a 2017 Reconciliation Saskatoon testimonial https://youtu.be/SPGesWB_e20?si=59SqwnFLgzRRA7bs

Rest in peace, Gilbert. We are forever grateful for the legacy you have left us.

11/01/2024

Gilbert was a treasured member of our think tank in Saskatchewan. He will be deeply missed.

Dear friends,

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Gilbert Kewistep, a man from whom so many of us have learned over the years. Gilbert was a kind, gentle, and humble soul – a source of strength and inspiration for all of us. His wisdom, generosity, and gentle spirit will be deeply missed.

Gilbert was a knowledge keeper on our Saskatchewan NEIHR network and in the Saskatchewan Indigenous Mentorship Network before that. He guided us as a Sacred Pipe Carrier and a member of the Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis Organ Donation and Transplantation Think Tank.

Hailing from the Saulteaux/Nakaway Linguistic group in central Saskatchewan and originally from the Yellowquill First Nation, Gilbert lived in Saskatoon and contributed greatly to the life of the community. He was the proud father of four daughters and five sons, and a loving grandfather and great-grandfather to many. He was a cherished Elder, a dedicated social worker, and a beloved professor at First Nations University. As a survivor of both the Residential School System and the Sixties Scoop, he devoted his life to helping others heal from trauma with compassion and wisdom. His impact was profound, reaching far beyond Saskatoon and Saskatchewan.

Let us honour Gilbert’s memory by embracing the values of truth and reconciliation that he held dear, and by supporting each other. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

We are sharing a few videos so we can still hear Gilbert’s wise words.

A 2020 video with Judy Pelly on the importance of Orange Shirt Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F-ndcl1cuQ&t=325s

A 2021 reconciliation talk on the importance of the seasons https://youtu.be/ldF3lPlE0zg?si=S7TB8OPhBjgEc3r7

Gilbert and his son Neal in a 2017 Reconciliation Saskatoon testimonial https://youtu.be/SPGesWB_e20?si=59SqwnFLgzRRA7bs

Rest in peace, Gilbert. We are forever grateful for the legacy you have left us.

07/16/2024

The Kidney Foundation of Canada La Fondation canadienne du rein is inviting patients with chronic kidney disease and their families or caregivers to share their perspectives on developing a national CKD framework.

We know there is an escalating prevalence of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease among Canada’s Indigenous population, and this is an opportunity for patients, families, and caregivers to share their priorities.

Survey: https://survey.alchemer-ca.com/s3/50242761/CKD-Framework-Survey-Lived-Experience

The Kidney Foundation of Canada is committed to achieving excellent kidney health, optimal quality of life, and a cure for kidney disease.

07/15/2024

If you would like to rewatch sessions from Pathways to Truth and Reconciliation in Organ Donation and Transplantation, you can watch them on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YukgJ_Hy0tY&list=PLhBJGRs7ZhR9_xowQYGwhNdD4UJ9uTMyv

01/21/2024

🚨 ℝ𝔼𝔾𝕀𝕊𝕋𝔼ℝ ℕ𝕆𝕎 🚨

Dr. Caroline Tait and our group are thrilled to host the Café Scientifique: 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with the CDTRP - Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program.

🗓️ February 27, 2024
⏰ 12-4 pm EST (Canada) + 6-8 pm EST (International)
🎟️ https://bit.ly/48NDqkU