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James Collins donated a kidney to help save his wife. But her kidney did not go to her – instead, the pair was involved in an organ exchange with three involving six patients, three hospitals and dozens of staff members.
The United Kingdom’s renal sharing program connects donors who are unable to have family members match people who can help them. Last year, more than 20 organ exchanges at three took place as part of the program which can see organs rushed by car, ambulance and even in the hospital at the hospital through the kingdom- United.
Mr. Collins’s wife, Claire, was born with a rare kidney disease, and although he did not correspond to his wife, the doctors declared that they could have entered the national database as a pair , with the hope of finding other pairs that could correspond.
“With the common scheme, it was obvious: it was not only Claire’s life that we have an impact at that time,” he said The independent.
There are more than 6,000 people on the waiting list for a kidney transplant in the Kingdom people with a terminal kidney phase.
“The more people who are ready to consider making a donation in this way, the more kidneys available to help all those waiting for a transplant,” she said.
Almost one in three (27%) rein transplants comes from a living donor, benefiting around 900 patients in the United Kingdom each year. In 2023-24, 185 of these transplants were carried out thanks to the living kidney sharing program, including 21 which were made by an exchange with three.
But making these exchanges work is not an easy task, said Joanna James, coordinator of transplantation at Leeds Teaching HospitalS NHS Trust, even once the donors and the recipients were equaled.
“There are six people involved in some of these exchanges. It is therefore the potential of six patients at that time to become sick, ”she said The independentAdding that the coordination of theatrical space and staff between three hospitals is also difficult.
Professor Adnan Sharif, nephrologist consultant and transplant doctor at Birmingham university hospitals, said that when he is confirmed that he will work with his transplantation coordinator to ensure that his donor operation would occur at the right time.
“All donors’ operations generally occur simultaneously, and we will not proceed until we had the green light,” he said.
Once the kidneys are removed, it belongs to transport coordinators like Ms. James to ensure that the bodies are transported to the beneficiary’s hospital.
Ms. James said it can be a “nightmare” to coordinate, but added: “When everything comes together, it’s incredible.”
Professor Sharif said the program was a “great success”, adding that he also helped to raise awareness of organ donation in general.
“We are very proud of the program,” he said. “It is even classified by colleagues outside the United Kingdom, as probably the best, I think, because it is a national system and it is very effective.
The former Minister of Health, Lord Ara Darzi, who has become a boss of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Rein Don this week, “said:” The incredible act of donating a kidney helps to improve the lives of people affected From a debilitating kidney disease, while helping to alleviate the burden of kidney disease is felt by the NHS. »»
Mr. and Mrs. Collins underwent their surgeries almost six years ago. While Mr. Collins said that his life had returned to normal after surgery, his wife’s life has improved considerably.
“The impact on Claire was immediate … She had more energy, she felt warm, she was not tired, it was great to see,” he said.
“It has very little negative impact on the donor, but the person who receives it, I can see the impact.”