Chris's story
Celebrating his 10 year kidney-versary in 2024.
"The news of my having kidney failure started me on a long journey visiting Nephrologists, clinical nurses, and the like, followed by haemodialysis training so I could perform dialysis at home. During my time on haemodialysis, I continued to work full time, but it always meant I was tied down to being home every second evening. If I had to travel for work, which I did many times, I would need to organise dialysis in a centre near to the place I was working.
At one point during all this I had my left kidney removed due to cancer. This delayed my chances of receiving a transplant, as the medications given post-transplant lower the immune system to "hide" the new kidney from the body's natural response, rejection. This lowered immunity would allow any remaining cancer cells the perfect opportunity to invade my body. As a result, I could not be on the transplant list for about 3 years.
When I finally was restored to the list and received my transplant, on the 23rd of January 2014 a total of exactly eight years, to the day, had passed since I began haemodialysis, in January 2006.
Now here I am on January 23, 2024. My kidney birthday as we have come to call it, but not just any birthday. This birthday is a milestone, TEN YEARS!!
The transplant has freed me from my 3 to 4 days per week of dialysis. It is a life changing gift! In my case it has freed me from that chair and those needles. I can visit my daughters and my grandchildren now for as long as I want. I can go camping again and get out into the bush that I love for extended periods. I can even travel overseas and have! I am so grateful to my donor for giving me back my life."