Carrie Vaughan

Carrie Vaughan’s decision to donate a kidney not only saved her brother’s life, but also enabled her to realize her dream to move back to New Brunswick, where she grew up. An exceptional golfer from a young age, Carrie played on the professional tour and for more than a decade worked as an instructor at Glen Abbey, one of Ontario’s — and Canada’s — most prestigious clubs.

When her brother Bob’s kidneys began to fail, she offered to be his donor and proved to be a strong match. To prepare for transplant surgery while respecting pandemic restrictions, Carrie temporarily moved back to New Brunswick. The transplant was successful and both have recovered fully. Soon afterwards, Carrie was offered what she describes as her “dream job”: teaching golf at the club where she had learned to play.

“My reward is seeing my brother’s beautiful face and playing golf with him,” says Carrie. “If talking to people about this helps them make a decision or makes them more aware, that's pretty amazing.”