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Patient's Fight Ignites Transplant System Change
19 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Patient self-referred to Toronto transplant program due to lack of provincial procedure.
- A streamlined process for transplant referrals is now being established.
- Patient's advocacy leads to improved care for future Nova Scotian patients.
Samuel Provo-Benoit, a 35-year-old Nova Scotian man awaiting a critical kidney and pancreas transplant, has become an unlikely catalyst for healthcare reform. His struggle to navigate the transplant system, which required him to self-refer to a Toronto hospital due to a lack of provincial procedures, exposed significant gaps in care. Despite the personal challenges, Provo-Benoit's decision to go public has initiated positive change.
His experience illuminated the difficulties Nova Scotian patients face when seeking complex organ transplants, particularly the scarcity of pancreas donors and the absence of a formal physician referral pathway to specialized centers like Toronto General Hospital. The challenges included personal travel expenses for assessments and confusion over interprovincial medical requisitions. This situation prompted a nephrologist to develop a streamlined process and standard operating procedures for such referrals.
As of 2025-12-19T12:28:06+00:00, a new, physician-initiated referral system is in place, ensuring patients receive better local support throughout their pre-surgical workup. This improvement will benefit upcoming patients, offering them a smoother experience than Provo-Benoit encountered. While he awaits his surgery, his efforts have already secured a legacy of enhanced patient care for others in Nova Scotia.
