Personal Stories

Tessa: As a Paediatric Doctor, knowing a child was part of the chain means so much to me

Paediatric Emergency Doctor and mother of three, Tessa, donated her kidney to a stranger last winter. She admits that despite having sedated many patients, she was apprehensive about the operation but recovered well and ‘doesn’t feel any different living with just one kidney’. More than 10 years ago, I listened to podcast called ‘Strangers’, which […]


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Ruby: I have done things I’d never considered whilst on dialysis

Ruby was born with reflux of the kidneys which over time developed into renal failure. She had her first dialysis session on her 10th birthday in 2002. I was on peritoneal dialysis for six years before I contracted a fungal infection called peritonitis which meant I had to switch to hemodialysis at the age of […]


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Rachel: Donating at Christmas was a great time to be looked after!

Before teacher Rachel gave her spare kidney to someone she didn’t know, she already knew rather more than she wanted about the process. Her introduction came through a friend who worked on the dialysis ward in a Nottingham hospital and through whom she had learnt how unpleasant that is. But then, out of the blue, […]


Claire: I cannot save the world but donating a kidney can make a big difference

Claire Ramsden from Kirkham, Lancashire gifted one of her healthy kidneys to a stranger in 2013. “As a Platelet Donor, and previous to that a Blood Donor, the idea of donating was not unusual for me, however it was fairly recently that I found out about living kidney donation through the media. Until then I […]


James: the paired donation scheme is so important

James Holdstock donated a kidney early in 2013 as part of a Paired Donation Scheme. Here is his story: Schmauzer and I were introduced in March – I was in Guy’s Hospital, having just donated my left kidney and Schmauzer was a gift from my wife and mother-in-law. I am part of a ‘Paired Donation […]


Tony Burgess

Tony Burgess talks about his decision to donate a kidney to a stranger as a Christmas gift 2012.


Helen Marston

Helen’s husband was initially horrified when he heard about her plans to donate a kidney.


Di Franks

After donating a kidney, Di set up a website: www.livingkidneydonation.co.uk.


John Fletcher

“The whole thing has been life-enriching beyond anything that I could ever describe. Of all the things I have done in my life, this one has been the happiest. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.”


Sanjiv Gohil

Sanjiv donated a kidney at the Royal Free Hospital in London.


Viv Calderbank

Viv is a graphic designer who lives in Cornwall. She donated a kidney in 2011.  


Simon Swailes

“No regrets at all. No second thoughts. This is something that ought to be done by more people.”


Liza Schuster

“I can’t say I enjoyed the process, but I’m really glad I did it.”


Penny Cox

Penny initially thought about donating eggs, but eventually decided to donate a kidney.


Clare Bolitho

Clare wanted to help her recipient to “restart” her life.


Barbara Ryder

Barbara Ryder donated a kidney in 2007. She was the UK’s second altruistic donor.


Nicholas Crace

Nicholas, who is 83, donated a kidney in 2012. He is the UK’s oldest altruistic donor.


David Hemmings

David is a retired civil servant and magistrate who lives in Devon.


Kay Mason

Kay was the UK’s first altruistic kidney donor.  


Philippa James

Philippa and her daughter have both donated kidneys altruistically.


Luc: six months after donating, I was in the best shape of my life

Luc donated a kidney in the summer of 2011, when he was 25. I’m what is known as an altruistic kidney donor – that’s someone who donates a kidney to save or prolong a stranger’s life. I’ve been asked to say a few words about my experience. Before I get into the joys of morphine […]


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Nicholas: it was an easy decision to make

Nicholas Crace is a former charity director from Hampshire, gave a kidney to a stranger in spring, 2012. He was, at the time, the oldest person in the UK to have done so at aged 83 – although there have now been older donors. Nicholas Crace had good health and no dependents when his wife, […]


Paul: I now enjoy a full and active life

Paul Hinkins received a kidney through the paired/pooled kidney transplant scheme, which was made possible when the law changed under the Human Tissue Act in 2006. Sometimes someone waiting for a kidney will know someone who is willing to donate one, but incompatibility in blood group or tissue type will mean that the donor’s kidney […]


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Keith: the transplant turned life around for my whole family

Keith, from Plymouth received a kidney from an altruistic kidney donor and describes what a difference it made to his life. “I’ll never forget the first time I ate liver and onions after my transplant. Nothing has ever tasted as good.” It was one of Keith’s favourite meals and one that he had not been allowed […]


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Chris: the difference has been incredible

Chris received a kidney from an altruistic donor after waiting more than three years. My transplant operation gave me back the  joy of life. I had got used to life on dialysis and thought I was getting on all right. I was surrounded by people in the same position and had become almost institutionalised. I […]


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Jim: Dialysis affects many parts of your life

Jim, from Surrey, describes what it  was like waiting for a transplant. Jim had to have a kidney transplant because of a disease called Henoch-Schönlein  purpura (inflammation of the blood vessels), which he developed in his late  30s. In fact, he has had two transplants, because the first one failed after less than a year. […]


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Keith: the transplant turned life around for my whole family

Keith, from Plymouth, describes what it was like waiting for a kidney transplant. “I am someone who accepts whatever life brings  along. So I did get used to being on dialysis,” says Keith. “But there is no doubt that being dialysed  three times a week does interfere with your life and your family’s life.” Keith […]


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