Karen is a retired B&B host who now enjoys lots of travel – particularly to visit her daughter and grandson who live in Australia. She also enjoys Pilates, yoga and a round of golf. She became a non-directed living kidney donor eight years ago. Here she shares her story as to what contributed her to making this decision to impact someone else’s life.
I had lost two best friends to cancer and my son to drugs when I read a newspaper article about a woman who had become an altruistic kidney donor. Having been unable to save my son and friends, I felt this could be my way of being able to prevent someone else’s family from losing their loved one.I found the whole process straightforward. Due to where l live it did mean a few nights away for tests and they did have a problem with my popping veins but that was all.
Of course there were nerves beforehand but not enough to make me anyway unsure about going ahead.
My recovery was delayed due to a blood clot which had managed to get into my bladder but once that was sorted and my urine returned to yellow from pink l was discharged. I have had no reason to seek any treatment since but get my annual checks.
After the prescribed time of waiting, I asked my donor co-ordinator if she could pass a card onto my recipient, who immediately actually got in touch with me when she received the card. l was delighted to discover she was a Geordie as my partner is also from Newcastle. She had always believed me to be a man for some reason!
We were very fortunate to meet as I know most non-directed donors do not find out who their kidney went to, and ended up participating in the Great North Run together for our respective charities.
