Six people die a week whilst on lengthy kidney transplant waitlists says NHS data, leading a Bermondsey donor to come forward to share his experience of giving a kidney to a stranger, writes Romilly Schulte…
Jenson Parker-Stone, 36, is a yoga instructor and dancer who became a living kidney donor in 2022 after realising he wanted to provide more direct help for people on top of the blood and platelets he had already been donating.
Over seven thousand Brits are currently waiting for a kidney transplant, with numbers having increased by 31% since 2016 and continuing to grow while more patients become reactivated on the waitlist after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Describing his experience in donating a kidney to a complete stranger, Jenson said: “I went in thinking the worse, as it can take up to 12 weeks to recover. But I took it all very slowly, and it went quicker than I imagined and I am fitter than I was before. You become quite conscious about your health.
“Regarding where the donation went, it is all confidential unless the person decides to make contact. But I found out that the procedure went well, and everything went as expected.”
Jenson underwent the donation procedure at Guy’s and St Thomas’s hospital, which takes in the largest number of living donors for kidney transplants in London, according to the NHS Annual Activity Report.
He now volunteers with the Robert Dangoor partnership and helps to guide two people in the run-up to their donation procedures, which he says is crucial, since friends and family often struggle to understand the procedure.
“You make the decision to donate and it feels quite strange. You get people who might put you on a pedestal and make you out to be a hero, and you get people who become very judgemental, and wonder if you even know what you are doing,” said Jenson.
Last year, the national number of deceased donors had decreased by 5% since 2023 to 1361 people, but figures continue to grow regarding transplants coming from living donors.
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However, the average wait for an adult patient is 503 days, meaning patients are kept on expensive and life-limiting dialysis treatment in the meantime.
Give a Kidney is a UK charity that works with the NHS to raise awareness of living donation pathways, and recently has been working alongside the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation to guide people through the process.
Their Make your Mark campaign showed that one in seven UK people would consider donating a kidney to a stranger, and they continue to help people understand the implications and benefits of being a living donor.
Anyone interested in knowing more about kidney donation can see here for more details.
