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For most people 150 grams isn't very much - its a cup of blueberries, fifteen $2 coins or a large apple. Recently I discovered the true value of 150 grams - a future, quality of life and one of the greatest gifts one person can give to another.
150 grams was the weight of my Mother's kidney. It is now the weight of Dean's only functional kidney.
Dean was in end stage kidney failure, dialysing almost daily, struggling to get through every day battling constant pain, nausea & exhaustion and facing the fact that without a kidney transplant he would die.
My mother and I had no hesitation in being tested to see if we were a match - almost as soon as Dean told us what he was dealing with the conversation & testing process started. Unfortunately our reaction is uncommon - many people we told were flabbergasted, they couldn't believe that we would consider donating a kidney - especially "just to a friend". As we looked at it - we had two and only need one to live a full & healthy life - it was a no brainer.
We both went through the testing cycle, the blood & urine tests, the xrays, the lung function testing, the thorough questioning, history gathering, the pyschiatric screening & the cross matching (essentially we got a cost free full body health check). We passed - not only were we a match, we were both deemed healthy enough (& of sound mind) to be donors. We made the decision that Mum would donate.
Two weeks ago we got the call, unexpectedly early - we had a date and if Mum was happy, the transplant was going to go ahead the following week! We all got together, processing the enormity of what was about to happen, Mum & Dean both understandably nervous, a little tearful and above all relieved that the transplant would go ahead.
Less than two weeks on from the surgery at Auckland City Hospital both of them are home, largely pain free & healing well.
I decided to photograph this process to raise awareness for organ donation, to celebrate both the truely selfless gift that was given and the start of the rest of Dean's life!
To see the full set of images please click here.
Talk to your families, talk to your friends. Whether you simply tick donor on your licence & reiterate your wishes to your family or look further into the donation process for someone you know (or someone you don't - a truely altruistic gift) - you have the power to save lives.
For more information on donation in New Zealand two brilliant websites filled with information are Organ Donation NZ & Live Kidney Donation Aotearoa.
150 grams was the weight of my Mother's kidney. It is now the weight of Dean's only functional kidney.
Dean was in end stage kidney failure, dialysing almost daily, struggling to get through every day battling constant pain, nausea & exhaustion and facing the fact that without a kidney transplant he would die.
My mother and I had no hesitation in being tested to see if we were a match - almost as soon as Dean told us what he was dealing with the conversation & testing process started. Unfortunately our reaction is uncommon - many people we told were flabbergasted, they couldn't believe that we would consider donating a kidney - especially "just to a friend". As we looked at it - we had two and only need one to live a full & healthy life - it was a no brainer.
We both went through the testing cycle, the blood & urine tests, the xrays, the lung function testing, the thorough questioning, history gathering, the pyschiatric screening & the cross matching (essentially we got a cost free full body health check). We passed - not only were we a match, we were both deemed healthy enough (& of sound mind) to be donors. We made the decision that Mum would donate.
Two weeks ago we got the call, unexpectedly early - we had a date and if Mum was happy, the transplant was going to go ahead the following week! We all got together, processing the enormity of what was about to happen, Mum & Dean both understandably nervous, a little tearful and above all relieved that the transplant would go ahead.
Less than two weeks on from the surgery at Auckland City Hospital both of them are home, largely pain free & healing well.
I decided to photograph this process to raise awareness for organ donation, to celebrate both the truely selfless gift that was given and the start of the rest of Dean's life!
To see the full set of images please click here.
Talk to your families, talk to your friends. Whether you simply tick donor on your licence & reiterate your wishes to your family or look further into the donation process for someone you know (or someone you don't - a truely altruistic gift) - you have the power to save lives.
For more information on donation in New Zealand two brilliant websites filled with information are Organ Donation NZ & Live Kidney Donation Aotearoa.
