Clark’s Story

We recently received unexpected and life-altering news that Clark is in kidney failure. Both of his kidneys are no longer functioning. It was discovered suddenly in January after he began feeling extremely unwell, experiencing blurred vision and debilitating headaches. The past few months have been incredibly overwhelming for all of us, especially Clark, and our family is still trying to process how quickly everything has changed.

Clark had just begun his first week of helicopter school — something he worked so hard for and was genuinely excited to pursue — when this diagnosis uprooted everything. What should have been the start of a meaningful new chapter has instead become a series of hospital visits, dialysis treatments, and difficult conversations. He is currently on nocturnal dialysis at St. Paul’s, spending three nights a week in the hospital — 24 hours of dialysis alone, in addition to countless medical appointments. It has been heartbreaking to see how much this has affected his independence and daily life.

Kidney disease has taken away Clark’s energy and the spark that makes him who he is — the guy who loves nothing more than being outdoors, casting a line, and spending time with his family and friends. With your help, he can get back to living the full, healthy life he deserves.

As many of you know, Clark is a very private person, so sharing this publicly has not been easy. Asking for help does not come naturally to him. His medical team has made it clear that a kidney transplant is the only path forward, and we are hopeful that with the right donor, he can return to the life he was building.

Clark is blood type AB-, which means he can receive a kidney from any blood type.

If you are interested in learning more or seeing if you might be a match, the first step is simply to email donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca and mention that you’re interested in being screened as a possible donor for Clark Keatings-Dickie. The transplant team will guide you through the process, beginning with a few initial questions followed by a more detailed questionnaire. The process is completely confidential, and there is absolutely no pressure.

Please know that the transplant team always puts the donor’s health and well-being first. It is possible to live a normal, healthy life with just one kidney, and donors do not need to be a relative, an exact blood match, or within a specific age range to be considered. Every potential donor goes through thorough medical screening to ensure donation is safe. The entire process is confidential, and we would only know if someone chooses to share that information with us.

Clark has so much life ahead of him, and we are holding onto the hope that finding a living kidney donor will give him the chance to regain his health and move forward in his young life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting our family during such a difficult time. We truly believe Clark can get back to the happy, healthy life he was building and to feeling like himself again. But he cannot get there without help. If you have ever considered becoming a living donor or feel moved to take the first step, we are deeply grateful for your courage and compassion. 

We are asking for your help to share Clark’s story far and wide, so he can receive a kidney as soon as possible and return to the life he loves.