Partnership Holds First Event to Celebrate Living Kidney Donation

The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation hosted their first event this month, celebrating those who have made their mark through living kidney donation. 

The evening was an opportunity for living kidney donors, recipients, and supporters to meet with one another, share their stories, and celebrate the gift of kidney donation. The event featured a message board where attendees could write what living kidney donation meant to them and the effect that it had on their lives, as well as an art gallery that brought the stories of donors and recipients to life. The occasion also included powerful speeches from our founder, David Dangoor CBE who donated a kidney to his brother, as well as Kathryn Croker who received a kidney from her dad, and our Guest of Honour the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London Sir Ken Olisa OBE. 

Discussing his own history with living kidney donation, David Dangoor said: “I am a businessman by background, and take a very practical approach to problem-solving. In this country, over 5,500 people are currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Despite our ongoing efforts to encourage donation, it’s a sobering reality that around six people die each week due to the lack of a suitable kidney. This statistic is not just a number; it represents lives unfulfilled, families grieving, and a lack of potential. Through the Robert Dangoor Partnership, we are determined to save lives and enhance the wellbeing of countless individuals. Our ultimate vision is a world where no-one dies waiting for a kidney.” 

The event was jointly opened by Sandra Currie, the Chief Executive of Kidney Research UK, and Bob Wiggins, Chairman and Trustee at Give a Kidney. Speaking about the event, Bob said: “The number of people developing kidney disease in the UK is growing significantly. I know that, at this event, we have come together as a community of living donors, standing together with people who have received transplants and many renal and transplant professionals.” 

Sandra Currie said: “We know that living kidney donation is an important way that we can reduce the waiting time and help those waiting for a kidney to receive one sooner. We are incredibly grateful to David Dangoor and his family’s Exilarch’s Foundation for bringing together Kidney Research UK and Give a Kidney to deliver this work, so more people will understand what it means to be a living kidney donor and can reflect on whether this is something they could do.”

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