Social media campaign grows as transplant recipient joins fight to save 28-year-old Navi Sohi
BRAMPTON — With her only kidney failing and dialysis now part of her daily routine, 28-year-old Navjot “Navi” Sohi is racing against time—and reaching out to the world through social media in search of a living kidney donor.
Sohi, a Brampton health care analyst, has battled chronic kidney disease her entire life after being born with a single kidney. In recent years, her health declined sharply, with her kidney function now at just six per cent. She’s now on peritoneal dialysis for eight hours each night—an exhausting routine that disrupts her sleep and her life.
“I just want a second chance,” Sohi said. “A transplant would help me prolong my life.”
The average wait time for a deceased donor in Ontario can stretch up to 10 years, so Sohi launched a digital campaign to reach potential living donors. Her story caught the attention of someone who understands her pain all too well: Afsana Lallani, a registered nurse who received a life-saving liver transplant in 2021 and now helps others do the same.
“She’s just helped me take my campaign to the next level,” said Sohi. “She’s been where I am.”
Lallani, who was diagnosed with a rare liver condition at age 16, knows the power of social media firsthand—it helped her find her own donor. Now, she’s dedicating her time to helping others navigate the overwhelming world of transplant advocacy.
“We were both sick as kids, both treated at SickKids and UHN, and neither of us had a match within our families,” said Lallani. “We share so much in common—it’s why I had to help Navi.”
Lallani has already helped 10 patients find donors and is currently working with five more, including Sohi. She says organ shortages remain a serious issue in Canada, but living donors could be part of the solution.
“There’s no greater gift than helping someone live,” she said. “My transplant gave me what I call ‘bonus time.’ I got to pursue my dream job in palliative care, and most importantly, I got more time with my family.”
According to the Trillium Gift of Life Network, nearly 1,000 Ontarians—995 as of May 22—are currently waiting for a kidney transplant.
Dr. Sunita Singh, medical director of UHN’s Living Kidney Donation Program, explained the benefits of living donors: shorter wait times, longer-lasting kidneys, and scheduled transplant dates that suit both parties. However, she noted the evaluation process is rigorous and only one in five potential donors are ultimately approved.
Still, Singh emphasized the emotional rewards for living donors are profound. “The act of saving someone’s life has lasting psychological benefits,” she said.
For Sohi, that lifesaving act could mean reclaiming her future.
“I’m not looking for pity—I’m looking for hope,” she said. “A kidney would mean I can live a life without machines, without pain, and with purpose.”
Anyone interested in becoming a living kidney donor can self-refer directly to UHN’s Living Donor Program—no doctor’s referral is required.