Patient Information

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am 75 years of age, and I am a double kidney transplant patient.

In August 2007 I was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital as an emergency patient, I was diagnosed with Wegener’s granulomatosis. After being given a plasma exchange, my condition stabilised and my life was saved; but the disease had destroyed my kidneys and I was put on dialysis three times per week.

My quality of life was extremely poor and I had frequent hospital admissions with lung problems, deep vein thrombosis, arthritis, cystitis, and many other problems, including shingles which left me with very limited vision in my right eye.

I was put on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. I was called to Addenbrooke’s for the transplant on about 4 occasions – and each time the operations were cancelled. I was disappointed each time; the most common reason was that the kidneys were not up to the standard needed.

On 25^th July 2014, I was called in to Addenbrooke’s once again…more disappointment I thought. But then Mr. Pettigrew said that a biopsy had been carried out and although the kidneys weren’t of the best quality – “that if I was agreeable he was prepared to give me both donor kidneys to do the work of one good one”. I agreed and the operation was carried out that day.

After I had the double kidney transplant my whole life changed. No more dialysis! And I felt better than I had done for the last ten years, or more.

I have had my kidneys for just over three years now, and everything seems to be working well.

Since having the transplant I have had a much better quality of life and apart from a few small relapses I live a normal life with a normal diet and medication.

I hope that the practice of the double kidney transplant is offered to more patients over the whole of the UK and that many more patients’ lives are saved by this operation. Thank you.