Bereaved mom creates legacy of love
A $25,000 portable ultrasound unit has been purchased and donated to Niagara Health Systems’s kidney care program by the David Gregory MacKinnon Memorial Foundation.
The foundation was created by Niagara Falls resident Michelle MacKinnon after she lost her 18-year-old son, David, to complications from kidney failure six years ago.
“This unit is currently improving the quality of care of renal patients in Niagara,” said MacKinnon, who was due to donate her left kidney to her son the day he died, June 8, 2011.
“I personally know what a difference this machine will make to these patients as it was not available when David really needed it in his care. This machine was an important donation, one that I gave with my heart and am so honoured that we could do this through David’s legacy for other patients.”
The foundation was given registered charity status in 2012 and during the last five years, has raised more than $150,000, which has been donated back to the community.
MacKinnon said the foundation provided $12,000 a year in scholarships, but has upped that amount to $16,000 per year.
“We just finished a commitment to Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton, which, a lot of people don’t know this, but about 35 per cent of the families who use Ronald McDonald House are from the Niagara region,” she said.
“We’ve stayed at the house, it was really helpful when David was sick. We’ve just finished a commitment of $25,000 to the house. There’s a family suite that has been donated by the David Gregory MacKinnon Memorial Foundation, and we’ve just entered into another commitment of another $25,000 to support the house.”
The foundation hosts its largest fundraising event — a memorial golf tournament — every June, which this year was Saturday at Thundering Waters in Niagara Falls.
The tournament, on average, raises between $20,000 and $25,000 each year.
MacKinnon said just minutes after her son died, she created the foundation within her mind and pulled the doctor aside to tell him she would donate her kidney anyway.
She said the kidney that was meant to save her son was donated to a two-year-old boy from Sudbury named Taylum in 2015.
“Taylum has just turned four and he is thriving with his new 48-year-old kidney,” said MacKinnon.
She said it feels “really good” to be able to give back and to support “people who are either medically fragile or maybe financially fragile because of their medical situation.”
“When David was sick, the social media wasn’t what it is today, so there wasn’t all of that support. It’s really great that we can give back. Even though David was very private, I think that he would feel very good about this.”