Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘Well why wouldn’t I donate a kidney?’
A SELF-CONFESSED hypochondriac who donated one of his kidneys to a stranger is calling on others to do the same.
Michael Dun, 67, from Broughty Ferry, is hoping more people in the city will sign up for live kidney donation as 400 people in Scotland wait for a life-saving transplant.
He’s linked up with the Give a Kidney Scotland group as part of a new drive to raise awareness of donations to strangers and its i mpact on the transplant programme.
Michael said: “When I heard about altruistic donation, I can honestly say my first reaction was well why wouldn’t I?
“I was ideally placed as I had just retired and had no dependents.
“I can honestly say there was no specific motivation and I wasn’t looking for any reward.
“I just knew it was the right thing to do and never wavered.”
The retired printer went through months of rigorous testing to give someone another chance at life when he donated in October 2009.
Michael also underwent a matching process to make sure the kidney would function once transplanted.
His kidney was donated to a man in his 40s from Bristol who had spent nine years on dialysis.
Michael believes it was an easier decision to donate to a stranger than a loved one and the transplant has had no adverse impact on his health.
He added: “I personally think it’s easier to donate to someone you don’t know than it would be to go through for a family member or someone close to you.
“If you know the person, there is a lot more invested in the decision and the process.
“In terms of the surgery itself, I’ve had more trouble with a running injury. After the operation I never really looked back, I just was glad to be of help to someone, somewhere.”
The average wait of those waiting for a donation from a deceased person is twoand-a-half years.
Over the last 10 years, 500 people in Scotland have become living kidney donors, with more than 80 donating in 2015-16 alone.
Michael said: “I know that it went to a chap in Bristol who had spent nine years on dialysis. It hasn’t impacted me negatively at all — I certainly don’t feel as though I’m missing an organ.
“It’s hugely important to raise awareness of living donation and if anyone is unsure then speak to a professional or someone who has had the operation.”
New research carried out by Give a Kidney Scotland found that one in five of 1,000 people surveyed would consider donating a kidney to help someone they didn’t know.
The research also revealed more than half (56%) would be consider donating to a friend and 83% would likely do it for a family member.