Suspicion of a "kidney cult" halts a transplant

The recipient of the kidney is upset and says the hospital is doing this to avoid negative press:

The Canadian woman who was to receive a kidney donated by an Australian man disputes characterizations of the young man as a religious “cult” member who was coerced into making the offer.

“There’s no way in the world this guy was being coerced,” said Sandi Sabloff, who lives in north Toronto and met the potential kidney donor on the Internet. “And anybody who met him knew that. He came here and went through all the psychiatric tests, social workers, everybody. And they all approved him. He’s not a crazy guy.”

Sabloff, who suffers from chronic kidney failure, said Toronto General Hospital denied her a kidney transplant from Ashwyn Falkingham, 22, after the hospital became concerned about his involvement with a controversial religious group.