A Sarnia woman is underscoring the importance of becoming an organ and tissue donor after her daughter recently underwent a successful heart transplant.
Sydney Vrolyk, who is living with Down Syndrome, received her new heart from an anonymous donor in May following a 10-hour surgery at London Health Sciences Centre.
The 24-year-old was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy on May 22, 2022, and has been under the watchful eye of doctors since then.
Her mother, Helen Van Sligtenhorst, said they initially tried to treat Vrolyk's condition with medication.
"Then, things became more difficult and other complications started to happen," said Van Sligtenhorst. "In January of this year, doctors told us they wanted to start the process of getting [Vrolyk] on the transplant list. We might have seven to 10 years where we don't need it, but we want to get the process started. In April, they told us she was getting sicker and was then put onto the list."
Van Sligtenhorst said on May 22, 2024, two years to the day after being diagnosed, doctors in Sarnia told Vrolyk she had to go back to London.
"She was in something called a V-tach storm which means her heart rhythms were out of control and medication was not working," she said. "At one point in time, here in Sarnia, they thought they would have to use the paddles on her to shock her heart and get it back into rhythm. They didn't have to do that. They did put her in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Sarnia, and the next morning [Vrolyk] was on her way to London to the critical care unit there."
Vrolyk was admitted to the ICU in London and the next day her heart was no longer able to function.
Van Sligtenhorst said Vrolyk was put in a drug-induced coma and on life support, and they were given 48 hours to find her a new heart.
"Our world was just turned upside-down," she said. "Thankfully, they did find her a heart. It wasn't quite within the 48 hours, but the whole process of the transplant started."
Van Sligtenhorst said the successful transplant took place on May 28, hours after they received news of a positive donor match.
"There are so many people waiting for a donor," said Van Slightenhorst. "There were people in the hospital, when [Vrolyk] was there, that had been waiting two or three years. What [Vrolyk] had to her advantage was her blood type. Her blood type is AB negative and, because of that, she is considered a universal donor meaning she can take anybody's organs."
Van Sligtenhorst said it wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of an anonymous donor.
"Please don't take your organs to heaven, that's the message that we're trying to convey here," she said. "My daughter is actually visiting with her best friend today, and she's looking forward to going back to the activities that she used to do. She wanted to go back to playing baseball and bowling and do her volunteer jobs, seeing friends and being part of her church faith community."
Van Sligtenhorst said signing up could save one, or multiple lives.
She encourages those interested to sign up on the Ontario government's website, as it symbolizes an intentional choice on their part.
"That means the person gave their consent to be an organ or tissue donor," she said. "This leads to less pushback from the family. Before, people might sign on their licence, and not really understand what it meant."
Van Sligtenhorst credits Sue Weir with the Sarnia Organ Donor Awareness group for being extremely helpful throughout the process.
"She's been phenomenal in reaching out to us, she's just been so supportive. When we got the call about a positive donor, we were given hope because [Vrolyk's] condition was hopeless. We acknowledge that someone had to pass away in order for us to give this gift, but [Vrolyk] is now going to have a full life. She's going to get stronger because someone gave us their gift and we are very grateful."
Van Sligtenhorst said [Vrolyk's] friend Madison Linker has been selling special bracelets to support the family.
The purple bracelets are $5 each and say "transplant awareness" on one side and "Sydney Strong" on the other.
They can be purchased at The Book Keeper in the Northgate Plaza, and at Harbour Bay Clothing and Gifts on Front Street.