Wendy’s Story as an Altruistic Donor

“On 7th July 2018 my life changed forever.

My father died within hours of developing sepsis, I was devastated how life could change so quickly. For the first time the subject of organ donation came up in a situation where we as a family could help. Due to the sepsis we were only able to donate the cornea from my dad but I found comfort in that hopefully somebody would and hopefully are seeing their life through my dads eyes which for me helped with the grief.

Roll forward to 2019 and I remember hearing an advert on the radio for “world kidney day” and organ donation. I thought I can do that! Registered my interest and went along to the talk. At that time I was unable to go ahead as my BMI was too high. Then Covid hit and into lock down we went, however, I still thought of the living donation scheme. I was still grieving for dad and the lock down situation made me feel like I had to take stock, so I did. I lost weight, and as soon as I could in 2021 I contacted the living donor coordinator, and began the process of tests required to become a donor.

It’s a long process and plenty of questions to make sure that I was prepared to go through with the surgery. Finally, in 2022 I was placed on the matching run of “the altruistic sharing scheme” hoping I would be a tissue match and 3 weeks later I received a call to say I was matched!!! I was so excited to know I would be helping someone with a new lease of life and that my dad would be proud. It was if my grieve had been channelled into something positive.

Roll forward to 25th January 2023 and I went into surgery and the donation went ahead with no problems. I admit I wasn’t well after but that was more surgery related than losing a kidney.. just knowing that my recipient was doing well made it all worth it 100%. It was a long recovery but I was so looked after throughout.

Then I had news from the hospital my recipient wanted to meet me! It was all done anonymously through the hospital and then we finally exchanged details and in June 2023 weeks later met. Her name is Helen and the experience was both emotional and wonderful.

As part of the sharing scheme her husband also donated so there were 4 lives changed that day. The whole experience has been amazing I would do it again if I could ! Helen and I and our husbands meet every anniversary and keep in touch in between. Helen has a happy healthy and the kidney is working amazingly like mine is too. Last check up it was at 90%! Jokingly they said I must have had 3. So, all the time, and tests were absolutely worth it.”