Published: Wednesday, 20th February, 2008 12:30
Transplant would transform Anne's life
By Nicola Findlay
Comments (0)
Print Article
Anne Duncombe, who has been waiting three years for a kidney transplant, is backing our 'Sign Up For Life' campaign.
Pic by: David Robertson
ANNE DUNCOMBE has been waiting for a kidney transplant for three years and is lending her support to the ‘Sign up for life’ campaign.
The 71-year-old spends hours on end on dialysis each week and hopes a new kidney will give her a new lease of life.
At the moment, Anne goes to Falkirk Royal Infirmary for dialysis three days a week, with each treatment taking four hours.
Unlike most people waiting on a kidney transplant, Anne’s condition is due to an auto immune disease rather than a genetic problem or poorly controlled diabetes.
Effectively, her own body attacked her kidneys, meaning she has gone from a healthy and active 68-year-old to needing dialysis very quickly.
“It all happened very suddenly, within the space of about three weeks,” Anne told the Advertiser.
“For most people on dialysis, their health goes downhill gradually, meaning they have time to prepare, but for me it was so quick it was all a bit of a shock.”
Anne feels that there needs to be more of a push to get people to sign up to the organ donation register and that this will not only help recipients of the organs, but also bring financial benefits to the NHS.
She went on, “Dialysis costs the NHS approximately £400 per treatment as it involves a high number of medical staff, all of whom need to be specially trained. If a new kidney lasted someone at least four years it would have effectively paid for itself.
“At the moment dialysis means 18 to 20 hours a week out of my life by the time I include the travelling, and although in many ways dialysis is a miracle, it’s far from perfect.
“While you are on dialysis you have got to watch what you eat and drink and it will never be as good as a new kidney.
“I definitely don’t have the same get up and go that I used to have.
“I am happy to support Gordon Banks and the Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser in this campaign as there needs to be more of a drive to get people to sign up.
“Nearly everyone says that is a good idea but, being human, many of us never actually get round to taking that positive step and signing up.”
Anne added, “At the end of the day, heart and lung transplants are saving lives, and kidney transplants are giving people a much improved quality of life.”
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Further Details
