"The difference we’ve seen in my sister since her transplant has been absolutely incredible."
My older sister Alison was diagnosed with Lupus after suffering from a bad stroke that left her in hospital for a while. Lupus is a disease that literally attacks your own body, so she spent several years in and out of hospital fighting the condition.
I’m the youngest of five girls and we’re really close with one another, so the diagnosis really hit the family hard. We all rallied around as best we could, helping in any way we could.
One evening after the diagnosis, we got a phone call saying that her kidneys were failing. After that call, it was as if she went from 100% to zero. She quickly became very weak and had to be on dialysis for eight hours every night. Seeing the effect it had on her in such a short breadth of time was heartbreaking.
Within a few months, she was put on the waiting list for a kidney donation. She was incredibly lucky as lots of people came forward wanting to donate. Even some of her friends wanted to be tested to see if they could donate to her.
Myself and one of my other sisters, Catherine, were the first to get in touch from the family to say we’d be tested. The transplant unit told us that to get through everyone as quickly as possible, they’d test the two of us first and then could start testing the others if it looked like we wouldn’t be good candidates.
Catherine and I started the tests and soon after we were told that we were both able to donate to Alison, but my kidney was a slightly better match for her.
The two of us went out to dinner to decide what to do. We talked really openly about it all – we agreed that I would donate my kidney because of the tests results, and also Catherine had young children at the time.
There were more tests to be done before the donation itself, to make sure I was healthy enough to donate and that there wouldn’t be any issues for my me living with one kidney in the future. I’m rubbish with needles, but I kept thinking of how worthwhile it would be for Alison. The payoff for it would be worth it. Honestly though, everything happened very quickly and before I knew it the surgery day had arrived.
I was definitely nervous on the day itself, thinking about all the potential outcomes, but I was also really excited to be able to do this for my big sister. There was always that worry at the back of the mind that something could go wrong or the kidney wouldn’t be accepted, but there was never any doubt in my mind that it was the right thing to do. The whole way through the process the team made sure I understood what I was doing, so I knew completely what to expect on the day. To be honest I was quite excited we got to that point and everything was going ahead!
After the operation, I was told that the kidney started working for Alison almost immediately and she was feeling great! Everything went about as well as it possibly could have. I was in a bit of pain and discomfort at first, but that was expected as my body was working out how to live with one kidney.
Catherine drove me home from the hospital when I was let out a few days later (we decided that because I had donated, she would help support me in my recovery). I just spent the next week or so in bed resting up and getting my energy back, while she looked after me. After those first couple of months though, I’ve got back to normal and hardly feel the difference in myself.
The difference we’ve seen in my sister since her transplant has been absolutely incredible. Knowing how weak she had been beforehand, not being able to make a cup of tea without feeling exhausted, to then seeing this really strong independent woman able to bring up her two young children. When I see those results first-hand, I’m so happy with my donation.
If I had even more kidneys, I’d be giving them all away too!
"It felt just like donating blood, but with more checks. If I could help someone, then I wanted to do it."
ReadWhen his younger brother, George, was suddenly diagnosed with kidney disease, Ed was determined to support him in any way he could.
Read"Someone out there in need of a kidney has been set free and I don’t even feel any different to how I was before."
ReadA kidney donation from John's daughter meant that he is now able to enjoy time with his great granddaughter.
Read"I hope my story shows just what a wonderful, life-saving gift it is to donate a kidney."
Read"I’ve seen how donating a kidney can improve a family and give somebody back their life after years of suffering.”
Read"If I had three kidneys, I’d absolutely donate another one tomorrow, unquestionably."
Read“I’m a great believer that when you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.”
Read"It’s now been almost 13 years since I donated, and nothing has changed in terms of my health or my lifestyle."
Read"Here was a chance to do something kind without having to wait for someone I know to need my support."
Read"Seeing how it helped my brother has made it all so, so worth it. As much as the journey was scary, it’s proven to be so rewarding."
Read“I wanted to share my kidney donation story to help build awareness of the good that we all can do to help someone worse off.”
Read“It’s amazing how a small amount of inconvenience on my part can make such a huge difference to someone else.”
Read20 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.
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.
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.
