For many years I have watched my sister suffer ill health, particularly major kidney problems. A young woman with small children, she suffered for the main part in silence. Eventually she suffered total kidney failure and was put on the tranpslant list. She was considered to be one of the lucky few and a donor kidney was found relatively quickly. After the transplant she enjoyed 14 years of a near normal life. During this time I was in the Royal Navy and could not be of much help to her and her family.
When her donor kidney failed she was once again put on the transplant list but only after 5 years due to a cancer scare, and in the interim went back to dialysis. When i heard the news i decided without a moments hesitiation that when i left the Navy i would undergo whatever tests necessary to find out if i would be a match for a live donor.
In August 2006 i started the tests and after the last one had been completed, was told that i was a perfect match. From the initial test to the date of the operation took 1 year, and in August 2007 the operation to donate my kidney to my sister took place.
I was amazed at the recovery rate and after 2 days left the renal unit in Oxford and returned home. My sister was not long behind me and was discharged after just 5 days. Although in the early days she was prescribed huge amounts of medication this reduced very rapaidly due to her very quick recovery rate.
It has been 2 years now since the donation of my kidney and i have to say i have not suffered any ill effects. My life has not changed, however my waistline did. In April 2009 i decided that i needed to get fit and return to my former slim physique. Both my wife and i joined the local gym and i started running again.
When asked if i would take part in the great south run i decided that this was too good an opportunity to miss. Not only could i fulfil an ambtion but at the same time help to raise money for a worthy cause.
The renal unit in Oxford do amazing work and the dedicated staff team ensure the wellbeing of the patients and this is why i have chosen to raise funds to support them to continue with the good work.
So please dig deep and donate now, the renal units funds are always overstretched and every penny counts but despite this the staff team always have a smile on their faces and welcome everybody with open arms.
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