20 years ago, David's enthusiasm for life was put to the test when he found out his kidneys were failing and he would need a transplant.
Looking back about 20 years, my enthusiasm for life was put to the test. I found out that my kidneys were failing, and that I would need a transplant.
My kidney failure was a hereditary disease: Polycystic Kidney Disorder, an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop primarily within your kidneys, causing them to enlarge and lose function over time. The outcome meant I would have to go on dialysis, a process that would help purify my blood as a substitute for the normal function of my kidney. The dialysis lasted ten months, dialysing three times a day. The dialysis was so hard, but I was determined to get through it!
During this time my wife Samantha, unbeknown to me, was looking at becoming my donor. She knew that it could take years for a suitably matched kidney to become available. Waiting for the procedure was intense and took quite some time, from the interviews ensuring Samantha wasn’t being coerced into donating, to cross matching bloods and undergoing other medical procedures.
With a living kidney donation, one organ is surgically removed from a healthy person and transplanted into the person in need. After the operation, the donor’s remaining kidney actually grows to take over the work of two.
A kidney from a living donor usually lasts longer than one from a deceased donor and has a lower chance of rejection. A living donor kidney transplant also lessens the amount of time a recipient needs to be on dialysis, if they need to stay on dialysis at all, leading to a much better quality of life after the transplant.
On 5 October 2024 I will have had my transplanted kidney for 12 years. In October 2012, having been admitted to Leeds St James’s University Hospital, both of us nil-by-mouth for 12 hours before the operation, Samantha went into surgery to have her kidney removed. The hospital arranged that our beds would pass when I was wheeled into theatre; a lasting memory for both of us. Samantha was released from hospital 24 hours later and I was kept in for a further five days.
Today, I now work for a company that moves organs, bloods, patients, surgeons and nurses. Revisiting St James’s Hospital in Leeds (to either collect or deliver organs) is always an extremely emotional experience, for obvious reasons.
My routine shift pattern involves four days on, four days off, working with my colleague Darren. I am routinely called out in the middle of the night to transport organs to waiting patients. This calls for thorough planning and diligence to enable the safe and speedy delivery of the organ.
Having had a transplant myself, I know the importance of my work. I am extremely proud to be part of the journey of each and every organ, to offer this gift of life to those in need. Driving organs the length and breadth of the country, and sometimes onward via airports for destinations further afield, gives me immense pride and pleasure.
When the phone rings in the middle of the night, you need to be ready, alert, and good to go in a heartbeat. Once briefed down the phone of your duties, you need to be mindful as you swing your legs out of bed, put on matching socks, get into your own clothes, and avoid waking the house – no one is ready for a man in fluffy pink socks in the witching hours, certainly not from an upright, smart ex-Coldstreamer!
“It’s amazing how a small amount of inconvenience on my part can make such a huge difference to someone else.”
ReadAisha is determined to raise awareness of living kidney donation and encourage more people in South Asian communities to consider donating.
Read"My husband was living on dialysis, and I saw the constant reality of what that meant for him."
Read"I set myself clear goals to return to fitness and running after my kidney donation."
Read"This is me, Louise Sach, shortly after I was diagnosed with chronic renal failure."
Read"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.
Read"I donated a kidney to my dad 10 years ago, aged 25. To me, it was a no brainer."
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.
