Organ donation/BC Transplant

By Jamie Tawil

Waiting game

Local MLA calls for reform after Kelowna mother’s transplant ordeal

Nov 6, 2025 | 11:19 AM

A Kelowna MLA is calling for accountability after a local mother said she’s been left waiting nearly a year for a liver transplant with little information about her case.

Kristina Loewen, the Conservative MLA for Kelowna Centre, said the experience of Lyndsay Richholt highlights serious problems with communication and transparency in B.C.’s transplant system.

“Lyndsay has done everything right, yet she’s been repeatedly failed by a system that seems to have forgotten the people it serves,” Loewen said. “This isn’t just a paperwork problem — it’s a matter of life and death.”

Richholt, who has end-stage liver disease, said she’s spent ten months on the waitlist while two potential live donors have completed testing. She said she’s received no updates, surgery date or clarity from B.C. Transplant.

In a statement, Vancouver Coastal Health said it could not discuss specific patients due to privacy laws but emphasized that donor confidentiality is critical.

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“The living donor process is driven by the donor and takes at least three months,” the authority said. “Throughout the process, donors may choose to withdraw at any time, and their privacy and confidentiality will always be respected.”

VCH added that patients are prioritized using internationally recognized medical scoring and are regularly reassessed based on their clinical condition.

Loewen is calling for an immediate review of the program’s communication practices and transplant prioritization process.

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