I was given greatest Christmas gift of all ...the chance of life
Musical director opens academy to give back to young people
NOTHING Santa puts in Stephen Summers’ stocking will ever beat the magical Christmas present he was given 12 years ago – a kidney.
That selfless gift from someone he had never met changed his life and allowed him to fulfil his ambition of becoming a dancer.
Eternally grateful to his donor and wanting to pay the kindness forward, Stephen, 33, opened his own dance school in his hometown of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, where he is helping 250 children realise their dreams.
The teacher, who was 21 when he received his kidney in December 2007, said he is determined to live the best life he can in honour of the stranger who made his Christmas wish come true.
Stephen, who has performed on stage since he was 11 years old, said: “It’s 12 years since my transplant and I feel incredibly lucky everything turned out so well.
“After being gifted a kidney, I felt very strongly that I needed to do something with what I’d been given and make it count. I didn’t want my illness to get in the way of my passion, so in 2010, I opened my own dance school – the 6.1.0 Dance Academy.
“I feel very grateful that I’ve been well enough to take dance further in such a small town and help kids I teach reach their potential, giving them the confidence to be their best.
“I’ve lived this amazing life and travelled the world and it’s because of my donor. It’s something I’ll always be grateful for and every Christmas I find myself posting a message of thanks on Facebook to remember them and encourage people to think about organ donation.”
He added: “I’ve never found out who my donor is and I’m not ready to do so but when I get to 17 years post-transplant, I’m planning to write a letter to the family thanking them for the amazing life I’ve had thanks to the selflessness of their loved one.”
Stephen, who runs dance classes for kids aged five18, was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure in 2005 while he was in his first year of a dance HND at Telford College in Edinburgh.
He started dialysis immediately, doing peritoneal dialysis at home in Edinburgh at night for two years so he could fit it in with the demands of studying, working and a physically demanding course.
He said: “I had just finished my first college show at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh and although I was feeling really tired, I didn’t think it was anything sinister.
“Then, on the train back up north with my mum, I collapsed. I went to the doctor for blood tests and was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. I was told I needed dialysis and was put on the transplant list. It was a massive shock. “I’d only ever wanted to dance. The course was really intensive and trying to manage dialysis along with all the demands of student life was hard but I managed to get through it. “I remember thinking that being on that course was such a big opportunity I was determined not to lose out because of my illness. My family were worried
about me as I was away from home but I tried hard to make the best of things.”
In May 2007, Stephen, who is also a talented musical and panto director and choreographer, was moved to haemodialysis as he wasn’t getting enough hours on the machine overnight.
With his health deteriorating, family members were tested to see if a living donation would be possible and his mum Diane, 50, was found to be a match.
But in December 2007, Stephen became ill with an infection and had to move back to Fraserburgh, where he was admitted to hospital in Aberdeen and removed from the transplant list. Just two days after being reinstalled to the list, the consultant told him there had been a kidney identified for him and asked if he’d be willing to accept it.
Stephen, who has been with his singing teacher partner Matthew, 27, for five years, said: “I drove to Edinburgh from Aberdeen that night and the transplant went ahead the next day at Edinburgh Royal Infiirmary. After just 10 days in hospital, I was able to return to Fraserburgh on Christmas Eve with my new kidney and my life in front of me.
“During the first couple of weeks, the kidney showed signs of rejection but it was able to be managed once we figured out which medication worked best for me.”
He added: “I will need at least another kidney in my lifetime and I have my mum there as a match but, for now, I’m healthy and living a busy and happy life thanks to my donor.”
The Scottish organ donation law is changing from autumn 2020 so that if people have not confirmed whether or not they want to be an organ donor, it may be assumed they’re willing to donate their organs or tissue when they die.
Everyone has a choice – opt in or opt out – and people are being encouraged to make their donation decision known.
The new law will offer hope to the 550 people in Scotland currently waiting for an organ transplant and one donor can save or transform the lives of up to nine people and even more by donating tissue.
Stephen, who will mark the 10th anniversary of his dance school next year with a big show, said: “I’ve been given a chance at a life and I’ll always do my best to make the most of it.”
● For details about the opt out system of organ and tissue donation, go to organdonationscotland.org
kidney but, for now, I’m living a busy, happy life STEPHEN SUMMERS ON KIDNEY TRANSPLANT