A father’s fight for living organ donation
A man who donated a kidney to his son is now kickstarting an awareness campaign for living organ donation.
Brian Nugent, 45, and son Gary, 11, successfully underwent transplant operations in August 2017 and are making full recoveries.
Brian said: “Gary had a kidney disease for five years and his kidney functions were slowly decreasing prior to the operation.
“Once it got to about 10% they had to start thinking about doing a transplant.
“Luckily it turned out both me and my ex-partner, Gary’s mum, were matches.
“It felt like winning the lottery twice.”
Now, Brian wants to encourage people to join the donor register and consider making a living organ donation which could help save the life of someone like Gary.
“A lot of folk out there haven’t found a match, and they’re still waiting on a donor,” he says.
Lat Thursday. World Kidney Day 2018, he took part in a sponsored head shave at Sinclair’s Hair Studio in Neilston – and this is just the start of his efforts.
This summer he plans to climb Ben Nevis for charity, Kidney Kids.
“This is what this is all about,” Brian told the Glasgow Standard.
“It’s to try to get people to realise that now you can actually be a living donor.
“There’s so many people out there who don’t get a kidney and don’t make it.”
Kidney Kids manager Sheena Dunsmore said her charity was “absolutely delighted” by the support of Gary and his family
“Their generosity is much appreciated and will go a long way to help other families with similar problems in Scotland.
“What people do to help Kidney Kids Scotland always amazes me and humbles me but we are extremely grateful for this support.” she added
More than 500 people have become living kidney donors in Scotland over the last ten years, according to Organ Donation Scotland – but 400 people are still waiting for a kidney.
The Scottish Government plans to bring forward legislation which will introduce an “opt-out” organ donor registration system.
Currently, 45% of people in Scotland are registered.
Brian says son Gary is getting better all the time: “He’s doing great.
“To see him coming on week by week – that is heaven.
“It was really quite stressful for everyone before the operation.
“Now, everybody is getting their lives back.”
