Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff (front row centre) last week declared April to be Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month in Osoyoos. Attending the proclamation were kidney donors and recipients from Osoyoos and elsewhere in the South Okanagan. The goal of the month, marked across North America, is to raise awareness about organ donation and to encourage people to register to donate organs in the event of their death as well as to consider being a living donor. Back row from left are: Sam Kootnikoff, Judy Sloan, Annick Lim, Lynn Cunningham, Terry Craig, Teresa Atkinson and Brian Rawlings. Front from left are: Betty Kootnikoff, McKortoff and Laura Craig. Betty Kootnikoff donated a kidney to her husband Sam, both of Penticton. Terry Craig donated a kidney to his wife Laura, although she has since needed another transplant. Sloan, Lim and Cunningham are kidney recipients. Atkinson, from Okanagan Falls, has been a recipient, but is waiting for a new kidney. Rawlings recently donated a kidney to Julie Wolter of Osoyoos, who is currently in Vancouver recovering from the operation. The Craigs live in Penticton, but Terry Craig has been promoting kidney donation through his accounting business Kemp Harvey Craig in Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire photo)
