I think I had always known that living kidney donation was something I’d consider at some point in my life. My aunt died of kidney failure when I was a child and I remember thinking back then that I could have considered donating for her if I was a bit older.
As an adult, I was given a leaflet about living donation after donating blood. I had the leaflet for about five years, knowing that I’d look into it at some point. Then a close colleague of mine passed away from cancer. She was only in her 50s. It was a real wake up call for me – I was healthy now, but that wouldn’t always be the case. If I wanted to do something, there was no better time to do it than now. Living kidney donation felt like something really positive I could do with my life to make a difference in this sometimes confusing world.
I got in touch with my local transplant unit and we began the testing to see if I could donate. When the tests kept coming back positive, I started becoming more confident that this was something I may actually be able to do.
The tests themselves weren’t too intrusive. The hospital was close to my work and everyone was really lovely, explaining what to expect all the way through. It was reassuring that they were doing so many tests to make sure it was safe for me to donate. It made me realise how keen I had become to donate, and it was decided that with some extra care, I could go ahead, which was such a relief.
In the beginning I didn’t speak to friends or family about my decision, because I had no idea if I’d actually be eligible. After about six months of tests, however, it was looking more likely and I thought it best to tell them. My parents were more supportive than I had expected – my mum told me she had offered to be a kidney donor for my aunt, which I hadn’t known at the time, so she understood why I’d want to do it. My husband was most reluctant about my decision, but learning how many people die waiting for a donor kidney helped him understand why I wanted to donate.
In the build-up to the donation day, I spoke to a Buddy in the UK Living Kidney Donation Buddy Support Service. That was really helpful for me. It made it all feel real and prepared me for what to expect on the day itself. At that point I felt ready and just wanted to get it done!
