Anne donated into the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme in order to allow her brother to receive a kidney transplant. She shares her story below.
Rich, a GP living in Nottingham, donated his kidney as part of a chain, meaning three people no longer require dialysis.
Emma donated her kidney to a stranger eight years ago after first seeing a story about non-directed donation on TV four years previously.
Since donating his kidney to a stranger, Guy says: “Donating [a kidney] was remarkably easy. By the time I returned to work it would often feel like a dream.”
Sarah donated a kidney to a stranger in 2022 and found the testing process interesting and all staff involved friendly and encouraging.
Having been a blood donor for some time, Juliette decided the next step for her would be to donate a kidney to a stranger.
Rich, a GP who lives in Nottingham, donated his kidney to a stranger in 2022, after reading about ‘effective altruism’ in an economics book. He matched into a donor with three recipients.
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’.
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 […]
John Burns, an adult English teacher from Bromley, donated his kidney in 2019 at Guy’s Hospital in London. Here he shares his story: “I am originally from the North East but came south, initially to university in Brighton, followed by drama school. I’m a teacher, and although this comes first and I have a role […]
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, […]
Tony Burgess talks about his decision to donate a kidney to a stranger as a Christmas gift 2012.
Helen’s husband was initially horrified when he heard about her plans to donate a kidney.
After donating a kidney, Di set up a website: www.livingkidneydonation.co.uk.
“The whole thing has been life-enriching beyond anything that I could ever describe. Of all the things I have done in my life, donating a kidney to a stranger has been the happiest. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.”
Sanjiv donated a kidney at the Royal Free Hospital in London and says once the idea entered his head, he was always going to do it!
Viv is a graphic designer who lives in Cornwall. She donated a kidney in 2011.
Simon, who is a minister of a church, says donating a kidney to a stranger is something that anyone of faith or no faith should consider doing.
Liza says donating a kidney didn’t necessarily make a difference to her life but it has made a huge difference to somebody else.
Clare donated her kidney to a stranger with the main aim being to help them recipient to “restart” their life.
When self-proclaimed ‘do-er’ Matilda heard a radio item about living kidney donation she said, “that’s something I can do” and a little time after she had given one of her kidneys to a stranger! Matilda sums up her experience by saying “it was enormous fun.”
Barbara Ryder donated a kidney in 2007. She was the second person to donate anonymously to a stranger on the transplant waiting list since the law was changed to allow this in 2006.
Nicholas, who is 83, donated a kidney in 2012. He is the UK’s oldest altruistic donor.
David is a retired civil servant and magistrate who lives in Devon. He says donating a kidney to a stranger was as much of a reward to him than it was for the recipient.
Until 2006, all living kidney donors were either relatives or friends of people who received a kidney transplant. In 2006, guidance under the new Human Tissue Act stated that altruistic kidney donation was permitted. Non-directed donation, sometimes also known as altruistic donation, is the term that describes a donation that is given without knowledge of […]
Philippa and her daughter have both donated kidneys altruistically.
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
David, from Devon, a retired civil servant and lay magistrate, donated a kidney in 2010 at the age of 67. Probably the most frequent question I have been asked has been, “Why?” For me, this was fairly simple and straightforward; I believe that if you are in a position to help someone else less […]