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Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 55 • Issue 20
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Local resident donates kidney to Ontario cousin BY MOLLY GIBSON KIRBY MOLLY@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
BRIDGES PUSHED PASTA POINT OF NO RETURN NEWS - PAGE 2
FEDS AND PROVINCE FUNDING SEWAGE PLANT NEWS - PAGE 3
AN EYE FOR AN ‘A’: STUDENTS TRY SCALPELS NEWS - PAGE 6
Almost two months ago Janice Pulak, who lives in Thompson, went through surgery to donate one of her kidneys to her cousin Mary Beaucage, who is from North Bay, Ontario. “I really didn’t know anything about organ donations, only that it existed. Hearing from family that this was the thing that was going to change her life, and get her back to being a productive person, I started doing research on the computer, and knowing that I am of good health, I knew I probably would be a good candidate,” explained Pulak who is now recovering from the surgery. The process of Pulak donating her kidney was far from quick, the Vale worker says. From the time the process started, to the surgery date of March 24, it took a year-and-ahalf. Tests were completed in Thompson, and Pulak also had to travel to Winnipeg for four days to do further testing. Beaucage and Pulak have always been close, even though they don’t
live in the same province. The two first cousins stayed in touch by being pen pals before the Internet, and now keep communication going through emails and the Web. It was June or July of 2013 when Beaucage became ill. “She had known she had diabetes, but it was then when she was diagnosed with renal failure, and she ended up in the hospital for two months. It was very serious.” Pulak went on to explain that before the kidney transplant Beaucage had to go through dialysis three times a week, which prevented her from working or travelling. Beaucage has a rare blood type, and because of that waiting for a deceased donor kidney could have ended up in an eight-year wait, which Pulak wasn’t about to make Beaucage go through. “She’s been on dialysis for so long, that at the end of it we were both just so relieved to get to the point where we were able to book the surgery.” The two cousins reunited in Toronto a week before the surgery to catch
Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of Janice Pulak Mary Beaucage, left, received a kidney from Thompsonite Janice Pulak, right, during their March 24 kidney transplant surgery in Toronto. up, but also to redo testing, and to double check that Pulak was indeed a match. “We both had our surgery on the same day. Initially I was told three to
five nights in hospital, and I was in for four nights. Mary was in for a little longer because she had a few hiccups. She had to go back in because she had
some issues with internal bleeding about four days after. She was out a week later, and she bounced back so quickly.” Pulak says she’s still recovering. “I’m expecting to be off a few more weeks from work. I just passed the restriction for lifting weight, so I’m starting to do a little more physically.” Beaucage stayed in Toronto for six weeks after surgery to document how her body was doing, and how it was handling the new medication, and organ. “So far though things have been going really good. The kidney kicked in almost right away, and started doing its job. It was such a good feeling knowing it worked and was a match,” smiled Pulak. Pulak urges everyone to do research about organ donations. “Not everyone is willing to go that far, and that’s understandable. Just be aware than even though we’re so far north, these things are possible. Sign your organ donation card, and there’s an online registry, called signupforlife.ca.”
Garden Hill girl’s death ruled a homicide EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
FIELD LACROSSE ALL ABOUT FUNDAMENTALS SPORTS - PAGE 10
A May 13 autopsy indicates that 11-year-old Teresa Robinson of Garden Hill First Nation, whose body was found May 11 after she had been reported missing, died as a result of homicide and was not mauled to death by an animal, as some had speculated earlier. “Foul play is suspected, and Teresa’s death is being investi-
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gated as a homicide,” said a May 15 RCMP press release, which said that no positive identification had been made but the body was believed to be that of the missing girl. “While her remains were disturbed by animals, there is no evidence to suggest that animals played a role in her death.” RCMP Chief Supt. Scott Kolody, “D” Division officer-in-charge of criminal operations, said in a
May 13 statement that officers from the RCMP Island Lake detachment as well as the “D” Division serious crimes unit, major crimes unit and forensic identification section were in the community investigating. Earlier in the week, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief David Harper told the Canadian Press that it appeared Robinson had been mauled by an animal and that
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bears had been seen in the area. He also said there are wild dogs living in the area. Garden Hill First Nation, an Oji-Cree-speaking community, is located on Island Lake about 300 kilometres southeast of Thompson and comprises about 18,180 acres. It is only accessible in summer and fall by boat from Island Lake and Cochrane Bay, or by air, and in the spring and winter by air or ice road.
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