Kidney donor signs up for marathon just weeks after op
● Man who gave organ to stranger hopes to raise £1,000k for charity
A runner is in training to complete a marathon just weeks after donating his kidney to a stranger.
Martin Crouden, 30, hopes to raise money for renal patients facing the misery of dialysis by running the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon in September despite still recovering from an operation to remove one of his kidneys.
Mr Crouden, from Thurso, said he became a living organ donor – known as an “altruistic” donor – after learning his grandfather died as a result of kidney disease when his mother was just four years old.
He wants to run the marathon to show it is possible to lead a normal, active life with just one kidney.
He said: “I’ve seen the way my mum has been affected by losing her dad at such a young and I’ve always wondered how I would feel if my mum or dad was not here. I’d be heartbroken.
“I realised that I could perhaps stop that from happening to someone else if I was prepared to donate one of my kidneys.
“The feeling that somebody out there is having a better life now because of me is second to none. I’ve been fortunate
0 Marathon man Martin Crouden is in training for Loch Ness run enough to have received letters from both the recipient and her sister, and it gives me a lot of comfort to know that she is doing well, that she is now comfortable and will lead a happy life.”
Mr Crouden initially intended to sign up for the River Ness 10k and only joined the marathon after filling out the entry form incorrectly.
However, he’s now hoping to raise at least £1000 for Kidney Care UK.
“When I realised what I had done, I just went with it,” Martin admitted. “I have been told it’s ambitious to aim for the marathon in September but I will be sensible about it.
“I’m not going to run like a madman and it will take as long as it takes – which could be quite a long time.
“But I want to do it because Kidney Care UK is a fantastic charity giving practical and emotional support to people on dialysis.”