Luke’s story

When it became clear that her son, Luke, was going into kidney failure, 70-year-old Gill Raggett, from Salisbury, was adamant that she would donate a kidney to prevent him needing life-restricting dialysis treatment.

Luke Raggett, a 32-year-old social media influencer from London, was only 15 when he discovered he was living with polycystic kidney disease (PKD). His vibrant photography has gained almost 75,000 followers on his @luke_through_my_lens Instagram page, and has provided a platform for him to share the impact his deteriorating kidney function has had on his life. 

“It’s a daunting thought to have surgery and give up an organ. However, once I’d spoken to another live organ donor and the doctors, I was reassured that my life wouldn’t be negatively affected living with one kidney. I’m already proving that is the case. My kidney will have a far greater impact on Luke’s life than my own. I’d encourage anyone to consider donating a kidney – whether that’s for a loved one or a stranger.”

Shock diagnosis

Luke was a competitive swimmer in his youth, before symptoms of PKD began to cause cramps in his calf muscles and lower back.

He says: “It got to the point where I was unable to move in the pool because of the pain, so I realised I needed to go to hospital. An MRI scan identified my PKD, and I was prescribed blood pressure tablets and medication to help protect my kidneys.”

Gill says: “It was a shock. I’d never heard of the condition before and, as far as we know, nobody else in the family has been affected. Luke’s consultant told us that he’d be unlikely to need a transplant until his forties or fifties, but it became apparent in the last 18 months that he was approaching kidney failure a lot more quickly.

“Seeing the impact of dialysis on others when going through this process was a real eye-opener. Needing to be connected to a machine for hours at a time, multiple times a week is awful. I didn’t realise just how many people are affected by kidney disease, and I was determined to help Luke by donating a kidney.”

Preparing to donate a kidney

“My healthcare team were really thorough in making sure I was still well enough to be an organ donor and, thankfully, that was the case. They always prioritised my health and wouldn’t have gone ahead if there were concerns. I have total trust in them. We’re not the first people to have a transplant and we won’t be the last, so they know what they’re doing. They were always supportive and were great at answering our questions.

“I was also fortunate to speak with a lady who donated a kidney to a stranger. She’s been able to live a normal life with one kidney and that reassured me. You do worry about going through surgery, but there was no way I wasn’t going to do this for Luke. The conversations I had with kidney donors and my healthcare team beforehand did help put my mind at ease that it was unlikely there would be any major problems.”

Having a kidney transplant

As Luke’s kidney function continued to decline, he and his mum became anxious to have the transplant as soon as possible to prevent the need for dialysis.

Luke says: “We both just wanted to get the transplant done. When the day finally came, Mum had surgery first, and I was anxious to make sure she was okay. I was glad the doctors let me know her operation had been successful before I went into surgery that afternoon. I remember coming round from the transplant and wanting to know how she was doing. Thankfully we were on the same hospital ward – it was great to be together.”

Gill says: “I did have some pain from the surgery and side-effects from the anaesthetic and morphine. I didn’t feel great for a few days, but it only took a couple of weeks to feel more back to normal. As time goes on, we’re both doing better.”

Life after a kidney transplant

Gill spent four days in hospital recovering from surgery, while Luke was there for six before being discharged.

Gill says: “I’m doing really well now and just need check-up appointments to make sure everything is okay. My eldest son lives with me, and he worked at home to be around for me post-surgery. I haven’t needed a lot of support though and am already doing most of what I did before the transplant. Everything seems to have healed nicely.

“Aside from some tiredness, I’m feeling back to normal. I’m an active person and I’m back doing jobs around the house. I’ve been doing lots of walking, and soon I’ll be doing my swimming and Pilates again. It is a relief to have had the transplant and be able to support Luke as his life gets back to more normality.”

Recovery has been less straightforward for Luke but is still moving in the right direction.

Luke says: “My kidney function has fluctuated post-transplant and is currently around 50%. There is a long way to go but I am noticing a difference in how I was feeling before the transplant. My partner has noticed that I have more energy, and I don’t need to stop to catch my breath as often as I used to when walking.

“I’ve been able to start going out more and enjoy my photography. I’m looking forward to getting back to my full-time job soon too, as they’ve supported me to have time off to recuperate. I’m keen to start swimming again and have a holiday with Mum. There’s a lot to look forward to. I’d even like to get involved with the British Transplant Games.

“I’ll always be grateful to Mum for putting herself in this position to help me out. She is my hero. We have a great relationship, and I think this has strengthened that even more. It’s special to always have a part of Mum with me.”