This week we are celebrating Organ Donation Week (23 - 29 September) and sharing some powerful stories with you about the impact of organ donation and the difference it can make.
Organ donation is when you decide to give an organ to save or transform the life of someone else.
You can donate some organs while you are alive, and this is called living organ donation. However, most organ and tissue donations come from people who have died.
We will be updating this page with new stories throughout the week. Find out more on the organ donation website.
David's story - Non-directored altruistic living kidney donor
"I’m 74 and have just donated a kidney! The recipient was on dialysis and on the national waiting list. The recipient is a stranger to me, and probably will remain so.
"The background to my donation is my stepdaughter's need for a kidney. She only had one kidney which failed, and she was on dialysis. I was ready to donate my kidney and had been matched and was nearing the end of my tests when a deceased donor's kidney became available for her. Having been present at all of my stepdaughter’s dialysis and treatments it opened my eyes to the desperate needs of those on dialysis, hoping upon hope for a kidney.
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"Having been present at all of my stepdaughter’s dialysis and treatments it opened my eyes to the desperate needs of those on dialysis, hoping upon hope for a kidney.
"Therefore, with my eyes opened and my Catholic faith, I decided to help a stranger who would be matched to me. The operation is straightforward and entails a 2 or 3 day hospital stay. No drugs are needed except pain relief initially and maybe for a week afterwards. No further medication is needed and after a 4/6 week recovery period your life is back to normal, but the recipient’s life is changed immeasurably because of your kindness.
"If you are a person who likes to help others, then considering an altruistic kidney donation is highly recommended. Donations to a stranger are rarer than you might think, with only around 70 or so per year. With 70 million people in the UK, you would become 'One in a Million'."