Battle kidney donor urges others to volunteer as waiting list grows

Joe Walsh, who grew up in Battle and was an active member of Battle Baptist Church, donated one of his kidneys after hearing an appeal on the radio over a shortage of live kidney donors.

On May 7, 2019, Joe underwent the operation and a year later says donating his kidney was one of the best experiences of his life.

“I haven’t had to live life differently in any way whatsoever and feel just the same as I ever did,” he said.

“I’d encourage others to consider it too.”

Now living in Yorkshire, the 26-year-old decided to speak out because of the almost 5,000 people in the UK who are on the waiting list for a kidney, and the around 250 people who die every year in need of one.

The waiting list is ballooning due to all non-urgent operations being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Joe added: “Opportunities for deceased organs are being missed. When operations recommence there’s going to be an inflated waiting list meaning more people waiting longer for a kidney, and probably more people dying before they can receive one.

“The only way to bring down the waiting list is through living donation, and ‘altruistic’ donors play a key role in that because they enable donor chains.

“I hope that in response to coronavirus, and in support of the NHS, more people will weigh up kidney donation for themselves.”

Joe says being an active member of Battle Baptist Church played a major role in forming his outlook on life and his decision to donate one of his kidneys.

He added: “As an altruistic donor, I was able to give my kidney to someone. And then their partner could give their kidney to someone else. It enabled two donations.

“It brought so much benefit to so many people. And it saves the NHS £200,000 per operation.

“I believe also in having a universal positive regard. I would be quite happy, whoever my kidney went to.”

To find out more about kidney donations, please visit the website www.giveakidney.org.