Obituary of Keenie KUIKEN (nee Vast)

December 16, 1947 – Stedum, Nederland
May 13, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Keenie Kuiken (nee Vast) passed away on the evening of Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at the age of 72. Her passing came after a 2-decade struggle with primary biliary cholangitis (a liver autoimmune disease that mainly affects women). Keenie was born on December 16, 1947 in Stedum, the Netherlands and emigrated to Canada with her parents and sister, Cathy in 1953. Keenie was a successful sole proprietor spending more than 40 years in the accounting field.

Keenie and Jake were married on November 11, 1967.  Keenie is survived by her children Michael and Michelle; their spouses Emily and Alastair respectively, her sister Cathy Vast and Cathy’s son Scott Mody.  Keenie is also survived by her three wonderful grandchildren – Sophia (9), Samuel (5), and Kiera (1 month).  In her final years Keenie joyfully engaged with them in talking, snuggling, playing and trading stories with them in-person and via FaceTime

Keenie was predeceased by her parents Theresa and Pieter, Sean Mody (nephew), Anne Bosma (sister in-law), and David Wilson (Anne’s grandson).

During her struggle with primary biliary cholangitis, Keenie received excellent care from many health professionals. However, throughout Keenie’s journey from diagnosis to the end of her life, Dr. Kelly Burak was her physician-companion as he accompanied her throughout.

Keenie spent two and a half years on the liver transplant wait list before the decline in her health made a transplant impossible.  As for many others in Alberta, the organ donation legislation passed in 2006, is inadequate in meeting the need. While Bill 205 in the 2019 Fall Session of the Legislature, offered hope in the future for those still on wait lists, the Bill died on the Order Paper when the Premier decided to end the Session rather than allowing democracy to proceed.

In Keenie’s memory, please write the Premier at premier@gov.ab.ca in support of presumed consent and donate to the Canadian Liver Foundation https://www.liver.ca/.