‘I’m so humbled and grateful’

Marsha Eastwood was “humbled and grateful”to give a kidney disease sufferer the opportunity of a healthy normal life, free from dialysis.

She said: “After losing weight and eating healthy, I feel fantastic and loving my complete new wardrobe of clothes.

“I dropped from size 18 to size 12, my confidence has returned and I feel 10 years younger.”

Over the years, Marsha has qualified in massage to help terminally-ill hospice patients, chaired a Guide Dogs for the Blind fundraising group and volunteered in an animal shelter including on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

She has also worked as a volunteer gardener with Friends of Kings Park, been active with the local Butterfly Conservation Group at Plean Country Park, rescued four dogs including her current two papillons, and held Macmillan coffee mornings.

She also plans to leave half of her estate to charity in her will.

“People ask why I would put myself through a big operation and risk my life when I didn’t need to,”she added.

“Whilst I worked for 43 years full-time all my working life, I’ve also spent half of that time doing charity or voluntary work in my spare time. Even before my operation day, I knew that once that was over I would miss the commitment and discipline it gave me.”

Last month Marsha joined an elite group called GaK (GiveaKidney) and she is also expecting to contribute to a study which it is hoped will ultimately improve the process of altruistic donation on a national level in the UK.