Warwickshire man marks 25th anniversary of life-changing kidney transplant
AN ALCESTER man celebrating the 25th anniversary of his kidney transplant, says it’s made him ‘appreciate every day’.
Declan Logue was a keen five-a-side football player when his life was turned upside down.
Hospital tests revealed his kidneys were damaged as the result of an auto-immune disease Wegener’s Granulomatosis - a blood disorder where tissue starts attacking itself.
This left his kidneys scarred and they gradually deteriorated until he had to go onto dialysis.
While on dialysis, for two years he had to follow a strict diet that banned bananas, chocolate and coffee and couldn’t drink more than a tiny amount of liquid each day.
Finally, he received a 2am call at the home he shares with wife Boudicca, telling him there was a donor kidney that was a match.
After the eight-hour operation at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, it took seven weeks for the new kidney to kick-in, which was devastating at the time.
Declan said: “It was a psychological nightmare.
“Doctors said ‘don’t worry, it’ll start working,’ but I was very, very upset.
“I had to go back onto dialysis for four weeks and was stuck in hospital for seven weeks.
“That was my lowest point, and it felt worse because all the hope I’d had seemed to have been plucked away.”
Fortunately, the kidney did start working and Declan was discharged.
He added: “The transplant’s enabled me to live a normal life and if it hadn’t happened, I’d be relying on dialysis which takes its toll on your body.
“It’s made me realise that life’s so valuable, and now I really appreciate every day.”
The 60-year-old is speaking out to mark Organ Donation Awareness Week, which runs until September 29th and aims to encourage people to register as a donor and let their families and friends know their wishes after their death.
There’s still a shortage of donors, and one person can save up to nine other lives.
Declan, a retired project manager, is a member of Stratford Athletics and Cycling Clubs.
He’s also just been selected for the Great Britain cycling team and will compete at next year’s World Transplant Games in Germany.
This will be the seventh world games for Declan, who’s won medals in golf, swimming and cycling.
Grace Newman has also been given a new lease of life, thanks to organ donation.
Grace had kidney failure in 1995, after medication she was given to treat the condition Lupus damaged her kidneys.
She went onto dialysis, before having a transplant in 1999.
Unfortunately, that kidney failed after 16 years but her eldest son stepped in and donated his kidney.
Ten years on, Grace says the experience changed her life.
At the time she was a seamstress but she completed a degree in fine art and is now an artist and runs her own online gallery UKartistsonline.com.
“Being on dialysis really restricts your life and you don’t have as much energy as you normally would,” she explained.
“When I was ill and in hospital for three months, my children were still quite young and that was tough on the whole family.”
Grace, 67, who lives in Leamington, added: “While on dialysis I had to travel to hospital, which sometimes took a whole day waiting for transport and queuing to get onto a machine.”
Fortunately, Grace’s second transplant went smoothly - her son was out of hospital within a few days while she went home after a week.
The 67-year-old, who’s won gold medals for table tennis in the World Transplant Games, added: “I live a very full life now and it’s made me appreciate life more.
“It makes an enormous difference when you sign up to be a donor – you’re saving lives or hugely improving someone’s quality of life.
“There’s no better time to discuss this with your family, than National Donation Awareness Week.
"After my son's amazing gift of a kidney, we're both well and I will be forever grateful to him."
