N.B. woman never expected to have to fight to donate kidney to cousin in Ontario [Video]

When Susannah McKenzie-Sutter heard her cousin in Ontario needed a kidney transplant, the 28-year-old Saint John woman didn’t hesitate to offer one of hers.

She hasn’t kept in close touch with McKenzie Smith in recent years but has fond childhood memories of spending summers with her “cool older cousin.” 

Preliminary blood tests showed she’s a good match.

But McKenzie-Sutter quickly learned her plans could be thwarted because she’s one of thousands of New Brunswickers without a family doctor.

The hospital in London, Ont., where the transplant would be done, told her she cannot donate — or even get tested to confirm she’s a good candidate — without having a family doctor or a nurse practitioner.

WATCH | ‘That was a big, big shock.’ Susannah McKenzie-Sutter, 28, of Saint John wants to donate one of her kidneys to her cousin in Ontario, but first she’s had to scramble to find a family doctor.

“That was a big, big shock and I definitely felt quite frustrated,” McKenzie-Sutter said.

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