Happy 2nd Kidneyversary

As many of you know, I’m a proud advocate of organ donation and will champion it at every opportunity.

Two years ago today was one of my most special. I was in the privileged position to donate my kidney to my incredible Mom, via the amazing paired exchange scheme.

This is where a relative, friend or partner is fit and able to donate a kidney, but is incompatible with the potential recipient and they are matched with another donor and recipient in a similar situation, so that both people in need of a transplant receive a compatible organ.

I think of them every day, but our paired exchange donor and recipient are very much in our thoughts today and we hope they’re making lots of amazing memories post transplant.

It’s been a week of reflection, thinking of how we were feeling this time two years ago and all the new memories we’ve made. This year it’s been made even more poignant by two very special people that I know and am super proud of. Liam and Matt (who were our awesome wedding band) had their surgeries for Liam to donate to Matt, only on Tuesday! The exact same day of the week, the exact same week we had ours this time two years ago. 

I felt honoured to be in touch with them in the run up to such a special, magical, exciting, scary, awesome time! I can’t tell you how happy I am that they’re both recovering well. 

Other than my family and friends, being a living kidney donor is what I am most proud of and I'm extremely honoured to be part of this amazing club. 

I’m delighted that the organ donation law in England is changing to an opt-out system this Spring, which will be known as 'Max and Keira's Law'.

Every day someone dies in the UK because they need an organ and there are not enough organs available for transplant. It’s a very personal decision and I respect people’s individual choice, the opt-out system still honours that choice, whilst hopefully encouraging more people to be a donor and stay opted in. You can find out more in this easy read document.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love a bit of Celeb gossip and reality TV as much as the next person, but in this celeb obsessed word, it's nice to realise that the really interesting people, the people that deserve to be adored, looked up to, inspired by are those people in our hospital wards, people who are battling illness at home, people who have survived and people who tragically didn't, these are the people who have incredible, interesting, real, aspiring stories and wisdom.

Your health truly is your wealth and when that comes into question, how people respond and cope can take my breath away. The bravery, courage, strength and determination I have seen displayed in those I love and also people I don't know from chatting to them at the hospital, these are the people who truly show you what matters and how to live your best life. It's not just the person with the illness who display these qualities, it's also their family and friends, they live it with them.

Not forgetting a big thank you and shout out to our fantastic transplant co-ordinator's, surgeons, anaesthetists, hospital staff and NHS. In my eyes anyone who has carried or does carry an organ donor card is a true superhero, remember not all superheroes wear capes! If you haven't already, please consider signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register if you live in the UK or if you're in Ireland email The Irish Kidney Association at [email protected] or freetext DONOR to 50050

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