Even my organ could not be unmoved by the tale of putty-faced plutocrat Eugene Melnyk’s successful campaign for the Gift of Liver.
The squillionaire Ottawa Senators owner, after a massive PR blitz and much mawkish media coverage, whittled some 500 potential live donors down to a shortlist of 14, from whence the ultimate harvestee was selected – for no inducement, financial or otherwise (Yeah, right! Everyone’s volunteering to hand their liver over to a billionaire!–ed.).
The winning organ was successfully installed last night.
Melnyk says he’s been “overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the public and the media” since the announcement of his still-unspecified illness last week.
Think nothing of it, big guy!
The transplant procedure was performed by medicos at Toronto General Hospital, where he’s getting top of the line care at no cost.
A liver transplant in the States would set him back $577,100(US), according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
And that was in 2011.
Today, allowing for inflation, exchange rate, fava beans, Chianti, etc., Melnyk would be on the hook for an amount not unadjacent to $1-million Canadian.
Thankfully, the patriotic pharma kingpin has Canadian health care benefits, despite the fact he lives in Barbados in order to avoid paying Canadian taxes.
It’s the least we could do. Drop by any time!
Please explain.Melnyk is a non resident How does he qualify for OHIP? You have to be a resident of Ontario to be enrolled. Supposedly.
Sorta jumped to the top of the queue, didn’t he?
Although, last time I looked, i’m not certain that his business interests, either hockey or pharma, were exactly hand-over-fists making taxable profits….
He is paying in cash for all the medical services, it is confirmed. It is a very high amount, but being healthy is more important anyway. He is not a resident so he does not have OHIP.
There’s a movie here…”Cry Me a Liver”?
Interesting that the mainline press didn’t state what caused Melnyk’s liver to fail. Frank has dropped a hint, but anyone with good information about this matter is invited to tell all to the gutter press.
He traded his old liver to Detroit
As a strong advocate for organ donation, I would hope that the 499 remaining, extremely kind, potential live donors, are still waiting in line to donate part of their liver to the next person in need!
daejevoos, how much cash you got? In $US, of course!