The Decision
There are many reasons why a person might decide to donate a kidney to a loved one or, as a totally altruistic act, to a complete stranger. Yet the overarching motivation behind making such a big decision is surely that you wish to give someone else a better life.

It is hard to watch someone you care about or love languishing on a transplant list, waiting for a kidney to become available. It is because this is so difficult that perhaps it can seem as though the decision is made for you: giving someone the gift of life is a no-brainer surely! BUT, remember that it IS your choice and one that WILL impact on your life too, so make sure you think carefully BEFORE you donate.

My Story
The reason why I decided to donate a kidney to my half-sister was fourfold. Several years ago she was diagnosed with the same genetic condition that her father had died from. She went on the waiting list and, well, waited! But eventually her kidney function dropped so low that it was certain she needed to go on dialysis and she began to write a living will.

It was hearing this news that first prompted me to find out if I could be the donor she had been waiting for. This initial impetus was coupled with the plain fact that for all of my life my older sister had been there for me when I really needed her. She always knew how to make things better and I wanted to return the favour.

In order to be sure I wanted to start the process, I invoked my ‘deathbed rule’ and soon discovered that when I would eventually look back on my life, this act would be something I would be proud of. Finally, I knew that if there was a chance I could donate, there was no way I wouldn’t because I was not about to stand at my sister’s funeral with two working kidneys!

Advice
For me the decision was a no-brainer, but it isn’t always that easy and it is something that needs to be considered carefully.

• Take your time and consider all the options available to the person you are donating to.
• If you can, talk it over with him/her and remember to think about how you will feel about the donation.