Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a father of five in my community who has put his life on the line to save the life of another person.
Jerry Ducharme of Angus, Ontario recently donated one of his kidneys to give new life to a man from nearby Orillia. The recipient says that he now enjoys a level of energy unheard of since first developing kidney disease more than three years ago.
According to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, living donations are usually only performed between relatives or people with close emotional ties. Mr. Ducharme, in a very unselfish act, responded to a plea made in the local paper.
It is an honour to have Mr. Ducharme as one of my constituents. He is a new hero in our community.