This week is UK Organ Donation Week, something unexpectedly that has become very close to my heart well actually my kidneys!
My Reality:
My kidneys quickly declined and ultimately failed in the first few months of 2023.
480 days since completing all the testing and became eligible to join the UK national transplant list. Dialysis is relentless
- Three times a week.
- Six hours at a time.
- 12 days a month.
- Two months spent hooked to a machine over the last year and a half!
I am living in this strange limbo, knowing I could receive the call at any moment is strange.
It’s always in the back of your mind and sometimes popping into the forefront of your mind at the most random times.
Whilst I'm hoping it comes sooner rather than later, balancing a business whilst awaiting a transplant is like walking a tightrope—both emotionally and physically.
You're caught between two monumental responsibilities: your health and your business.
Planning long-term is tough enough but when you don't know if you'll get the call tomorrow or next year is strange…. almost unfathomable.
Stagnation isn't an option; the business must and life keeps moving forward.
Thankfully, I have an awesome family and group of friends around me and a great group of people I work with who I trust should the phone ring.
There is pressure and it is relentless. As a business owner, you feel responsible not only for your own livelihood but for others' as well. The fear extends beyond your health to the potential impact on your business.
Personally, it's equally taxing. Your mobile is always within reach, bags packed, ready for the life-changing moment. A imposed geofence of 2 hrs from the MRI.
There is undoubtedly an added layer of guilt, knowing that your second chance hinges on another's loss. I'm acutely aware that for another family, it will mean a tragedy.
Physically, you are trying to stay fit for surgery whilst managing the stress is not easy but essential. Most people don’t die from CKD but a heart related issue.
It's a balancing act—suspended between your current life and the one you're hoping for, all whilst ensuring your business can weather both the wait and whatever comes next.
In the meantime, I will wait for the phone call. Whether that’s kidneys, jobs or a chat…. I am available 😊
Stats to leave you with as the need for organ donors in the UK remains pressing:
• As of March 2023, there were 6,200 people on the active transplant waiting list in the UK.
• In 2022/23, 3,578 people in the UK received a transplant from a deceased donor, but sadly, 462 patients died whilst on the active waiting list.
• Although 96% of UK adults say they support organ donation, only 44% have recorded their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
• One donor can save or transform over nine lives through organ donation and even more by donating tissue.
Most importantly, I hope this post encourages more people to register as an organ donor.
There are 7,600 people on the organ transplant register right now.
Our founder, John Dyson, is one of them.
This Organ Donation Week, we wanted to highlight the fact the NHS Organ Donation Register has saved almost 60,000 lives since it was created in 1994.
That's an incredible stat. And the more people who are on the register, the more opportunity there is for that 60,000 to grow.
If you're not on the register but want to learn more about organ donation, visit the NHS website 👉 https://lnkd.in/g9Tpfjf
#OrganDonationWeek
