I donated a kidney to my dad 10 years ago, aged 25. To me, it was a no brainer.
We knew that my dad was ill. He never went into the details, but we knew it was something to do with the kidneys. We used to play golf together, but as he got worse he didn’t have the energy for it and had to spend more time resting. At his worst, he couldn’t even walk to the shops.
The doctor told us that dad’s kidney function was dropping, and that he’d been added to the donor register. As soon as he said that, I immediately offered to donate my kidney. My dad made it clear he wasn’t asking, but that didn’t matter. The moment I knew it was an option, my mind was made up.
At the time I didn’t know much about kidneys at all, just the basics that I still remembered from school. I knew that you could live with one – my cousin has only had one since she was born, and she’s had no kidney issues. Other than that though, I didn’t know much at all.
I reached out to the living donor team in Salford. They were absolutely brilliant and talked me through the whole donation process to make sure I knew what I was getting into and what would be involved.
The tests to see if I was able to donate took longer than I’d expected. They started in August, and I didn’t get the go ahead until March. They weren’t exactly hard, but there were a lot of them and they went on for quite a while. At one point I had to be on a 24-hour blood pressure monitor at home, as they realised my blood pressure kept elevating from worry whenever I was in a hospital, so they wanted to check me in my day-to-day life.
The operation itself went as well as it possibly could have. Throughout our whole journey, all the healthcare professionals we spoke to were fantastic at giving us information and explaining everything to us. The anaesthetist asked me what music I liked and put it on for me. It was easy!
The first few days after surgery were pretty difficult. The donation team had been great at explaining what to expect and I knew the facts of it all, but you don’t really know how your body will react until you actually experience it. It was very painful at first and I had so little energy. I was used to having the energy levels of a relatively healthy 25-year-old, so it was a bit of a shock. It made me realise – this must have been how my dad felt before the operation. That recovery period put me in his shoes. That time really hit home what he’d been through.
After the operation, another doctor came to me who had been at my operation. I had so many questions I wanted to ask – will my dad be okay? Will his body reject the kidney? What happens now? She explained everything to me, and I got the epic news that the operation had been a success and my dad was doing well. It was incredible to hear he say that, words can’t do it justice!
My dad was in a separate bay of the hospital and we were able to see each other the next day. When we did, the emotions were through the roof! It meant so much that I could be there for him during that time, that we were going through that journey together.
The pain went away in a few weeks. I still remember my first sneeze while I was recovering, as it was Summer and I suffer from hay fever. It was so painful! But with each day, I felt noticeably better. I was back to work in a couple of months, though I’d arranged a phased return to ease myself back in. In the beginning, I was absolutely shattered after a few hours. I’d say it took me about a year before my energy levels felt back to where they were before. I wouldn’t change a thing and don’t regret donating at all, but it’s important people know that the full recovery can take time.
Dad’s recovery was incredible. Within a week his energy levels improved and he started feeling better in himself. I got my dad back. He got married later that year, and had a new lease of life. Soon enough he was playing golf three times a week – a huge difference from someone who couldn’t walk to the shops!
The one bit of advice I’d give someone considering living donation is to get as much information as you can about living kidney donation. It’ll really help you to stop worrying about things just because you don’t know what to expect. The one thing I was worried about was how I’d be looked after by the healthcare staff, when actually they were all amazing. They all made me feel so special!
During my donation journey, I didn’t look for any community or read stories of people with experience in living donation. In hindsight this is something I wish I’d done. There are definitely people out there who can help and explain what they went through.
Donating a kidney can be scary and a bit lonely at times, but in the end I was just excited about seeing my dad get better. The difference my donation made to him and the pride I take from being able to give him his life back makes it all worth it a million times over.
"It has now been over a year since my donation. I have zero pain or discomfort, and I am entirely back to normal with nothing but a scar to remind me of my experience."
ReadRachel already knew more than she wanted to about the process of kidney donation before she gave her spare kidney to someone she didn’t know.
ReadHenry donated a kidney to his sister Helen, and has seen first-hand the difference a donation can make for someone with kidney disease.
Read“It has made absolutely no difference to my day-to-day life. My mum, however, has a life like never before.”
ReadNaomi knew she wanted to donate a kidney after learning about kidney disease and reality of life on dialysis.
ReadEmma donated her kidney to a stranger eight years ago after first seeing a story about non-directed donation on TV four years previously.
ReadJoyce thought that she was too old to donate a kidney, before learning there was no upper age limit for donating.
ReadMandy donated one of her kidneys to her younger cousin Lou, who was diagnosed with kidney problems when she was two years old.
Read"I don’t consider myself to be a hero or brave. I just did what I was brought up to do – to help others."
ReadJulie worked hard to stay fit and healthy while she was preparing to donate a kidney to her nephew.
Read"At the beginning it seemed like a difficult decision to make, but since the operation I don’t have any regrets."
ReadTessa believes that donating a kidney to a stranger is one of the best decisions she's ever made.
ReadLynn was 75 when she donated a kidney altruistically. "I knew I wanted to do it if I was capable of doing so."
Read“You don’t need to be a superhero, you don’t need to be a mega star of any sort. It’s something that normal people just like me can do."
ReadLaura knew she would donate a kidney to her sister if she needed it. When the time came, she found the process absolutely worth it.
ReadMatt's dream of joining the police was shattered by an unexpected diagnosis of kidney disease, but his mother's kidney donation allowed him to thrive and pursue new dreams.
Read"I've learnt a lot about myself and my own health – I would do it again in a heartbeat (if I had another kidney to spare!)"
Read"I believe that if you are in a position to help someone else less fortunate than yourself, then you should do so."
ReadEvery kidneyversary deserves a celebration, but in 2024 Elaine marked a particularly poignant milestone – 10 years since she donated a kidney to her eldest daughter.
Read"I feel immeasurably better in myself knowing I have been able to give my brother the gift of a healthy life."
ReadDennis is keen to show people that you can still live your life as normal and achieve great things after donating a kidney.
ReadWhen Ali heard that a former colleague was waiting for a kidney transplant, he knew within minutes that he would offer one of his.
Read"My mum needed a kidney, and I didn’t need both of mine. When I heard that, I didn't have any hesitation."
ReadKathryn faced life-changing kidney failure after being diagnosed with the rare disease, IgA vasculitis.
ReadMarianne has seen first hand the benefits that kidney donation can bring to a family, and feels blessed that she was able to donate a kidney to her brother.
ReadBen felt drained by kidney disease for over 12 years before his cousin gave him a second chance at life by donating his kidney.
ReadJulie donated to her son and knows first hand that donating an organ doesn’t just save a person. It saves a family.
ReadAnne donated into the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme so that her brother could receive a kidney transplant.
Read"Within both the Jain and Hindu faiths benevolence to others is supposed to be a key principle. What could be a greater act of benevolence than transforming someone’s life by giving them part of yourself?"
Read"If I had more Kidneys to give, I'd be donating to anyone who needed one."
ReadTrainee teacher Mark is grateful for the life-saving kidney transplant from his brother that put him back on track for life and his career.
ReadSheldon & Hayley watched their daughter Daisy-May go from a shock diagnosis of kidney failure to dialysis, then transplant, in an emotional rollercoaster lasting 16 months.
ReadMy donor gave me a life to live for. I have done things I had never considered doing whilst on dialysis.
Read"If I had another kidney to spare, I would donate in a heartbeat. It was life changing for my husband, and for me as a person."
ReadDavid is just an average Joe. A motorcycling, 54-year-old father and grandfather. And 6 years ago, he donated one of his kidneys to someone who needed it more than he did.
Read40 years ago, Kathleen donated one of her kidneys to Cheryl, who was just five years old at the time.
Read"Giving a small part of me that I didn’t need to someone else would make little difference in my life, but a huge difference in theirs – it was an easy decision for me to make."
ReadLiz's family struggled at first with her determination to donate her kidney to someone unrelated to her.
ReadSarah had seen the life-changing difference donating a kidney could have, and immediately knew it was something she wanted to do.
ReadI would not feel as comfortable in my own skin as I do now if I had not donated my kidney.
ReadPete’s kidney gave me my life back and gave my son Edward a mum with energy and vitality.
ReadWhether you’ve already decided to donate a kidney, or you are interested in finding out more about the process and what it involves, we’re here to answer any questions you might have.
