Police chief to have kidney transplant, wife will be donor
Messages of support pour in as Saunders reveals he’s been undergoing dialysis for past 15 months
Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders is expected to undergo a kidney transplant next week — and his wife will be the donor.
As first reported by CTV News Toronto on Friday, the chief of the largest municipal police service in Canada will receive a kidney from his wife, Stacey Saunders, on Monday.
Saunders was born with only one kidney, something he did not discover until later in life. Through routine blood work, he would later learn that the sole kidney was diseased.
While he did not initially experience health problems, he eventually had to undergo kidney dialysis at home — a nightly ritual for the past 15 months.
It’s not clear how long his recovery will take. While Saunders is recuperating, Deputy Chief James Ramer will step in as acting chief.
Saunders told CTV that he is “seeing the finish line” after experiencing significant physical, emotional and mental challenges related to his condition.
“I’m seeing being in a better place at the end of the day,” Saunders said, adding that his wife has “always been my rock.”
Saunders had not previously revealed his kidney-related health problems, but went public this week in order to encourage people to sign up for the organ donation program.
Mayor John Tory, who sits on the civilian Toronto police board, issued a statement Friday night, wishing Saunders and his wife a quick recovery and good health in the future.
“Battling kidney disease while serving as the chief of police could not have been easy. It’s a testament to the chief’s strength and determination,” Tory said. “I know that will serve him well as he goes through this transplant procedure.”
As news of the chief’s surgery spread, well wishes for a healthy recovery poured in over Twitter.
“A ‘perfect match’ in more ways than one,” tweeted Staff Sgt. Darla Tannahill, who is Saunders’ executive officer. “(Saunders’) wife Stacey will be his living kidney donor #LoveStory.”
Stacey Saunders told CTV she was “excited to help.”
“I was excited to give him a chance to live the better life again,” she said. “I think when you’re sick for quite a while, you normalize it … you end up normalizing that you get hooked up to a machine every night. I think that becomes your world. I was so happy to be his donor, I did put my hand up right away.”
Saunders, who is in his mid-50s, is a veteran Toronto police officer who was sworn in as chief in April 2015.
Saunders has appeared in good health at events throughout the week, including the official introduction of a new Toronto police horse named Invictus to honour the ongoing Invictus Games
Among those passing along good wishes was Terry Coleman, a former police chief in Moose Jaw, Sask., who now works as a public safety consultant. Coleman had a kidney transplant six weeks ago.
“Please wish him well for me. I’ll be thinking of him.”
Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, said: “Our thoughts are with the chief and Stacey as they go through this challenging time. I’ve known Mark for 30 years and his strength is undeniable. Looking forward to his return.”