Steph, Liam, Linda & Jord Skydive for Sheffield Kidney Association

Below is what I wrote to the world on 22nd January, 2021 when Liam received his second kidney transplant.

‘I still can’t believe what I’m about to say.

But firstly, for anyone who isn’t aware of Liam’s illness (he usually hides it pretty well!) I just wanted to give you a little bit of context so you can appreciate the state of shock and elation we are in.

Liam’s been battling with end stage renal failure for a really long time. 10 years ago, when he was 21, his kidneys failed and he ended up on the waiting list for a transplant. Thankfully, he received a donor and for the best part of 3 years, he was happy and healthy (just hadn’t met the love of his life yet 😉🙋🏻‍♀️)

After those 3 years, his kidney started failing again. I mean, there’s never any guarantee on how long a kidney will last.. 3 years, 12 months, 20 years - it’s all fairly uncertain. But it was still devastating that he found himself back on the transplant list awaiting another donor at only 25 years old. Since then, and for the last 6 years, he’s been shackled to dialysis 3 times a week, being kept alive only by machines. Machines that filter and clean his blood to replace the job that his kidneys could no longer do as they had failed. For a second time.

Things started looking up and we were hopeful he could have his mums kidney, but then 18 months ago, I got a phone call from Liam while I was at work. He was his usual silly-self but I knew something was wrong and he’d had a hospital appointment that morning. “What’s wrong?” I said.

“I’ve got cancer” he replied.

We both sobbed.

He was diagnosed with throat cancer and had to be immediately removed from the waiting list for a transplant until he could have an operation and get the all clear. They couldn’t risk putting a healthy new kidney in a body where the cancer would likely destroy it.

Complete devastation.

Will he ever get a transplant? Will he even survive?

So the operation to treat the cancer went ahead – it seemed to go well but only time would tell. Then came the dreaded wait. However many phone calls, appointments and worries later - we got the results.

“The cancer has spread to his lymph nodes - we need to operate again”.

So on January 29th 2020 (my birthday, the selfish twat 😂) he went into theatre for yet another operation to remove the rest of the cancer.

Result! The cancer was gone.

Months later we were then told he could go back on the emergency transplant list in hope for a new kidney but that chances were fearfully slim due to his previous complications and his mum’s kidney was no longer a viable option.

What could possibly happen next?

COVID-19 and a global pandemic. Also meaning - no more transplant operations. Just more knock backs. More waiting. And Liam, getting worse by the day.

In-between the endless hospital trips, he was battling with chronic pain, depression and was struggling to do the most basic of things that most of us take for granted. He was deteriorating by the day and ultimately, he was dying. But always with a smile on his face.

Amidst the chaos of a pandemic, I started the process to get tested and see if I could give Liam my kidney. More hospital appointments and more waiting. Only to be told that the answer was no, due to a very rare tissue which I shared with Liam’s previous donor. Instead, we were given hope of a different route – I give someone else my kidney and Liam gets a better match kidney. Like swapsies! But with kidneys!

While preparing for yet another battle, a miracle happened.

At 9pm on 20th January 2021; Liam received an unexpected call from the emergency transplant team:

“WE HAVE A MATCH! WE HAVE A KIDNEY!”

Is this real?

Within minutes we were on our way. Liam’s mum & I drove him to St James hospital in Leeds, hugged him tight and waved him off at the door (COVID meant we couldn’t stay with him). After endless tests, no sleep, and what feels like minutes or maybe weeks later - he is now out of theatre and in recovery! A successful operation with (HOPEFULLY) a healthy and full working kidney, for many years to come!

No words.

The doctors and surgeons are delighted with the results and have said that whilst it’s a long road ahead - we have every reason to be positive.

And that just about brings us up to where we are now.

While it’s tragic that someone had to die for Liam to live, it shows the importance of organ donation and how you change the ending to someone else’s story. None of us can live forever, but we can help others to live a little longer.

So while I’m bitter that he’s managed to make my birthday all about him for yet another year running 😉 there are no words to express whatever this feeling is and the gratitude I have.

Thank you to all our amazing family and friends for your love and support and to everyone who has been there for Liam throughout the years. We love you!

Here’s to the future.’

Fast forward 3 years and Liam is now living a full, happy and healthy life as a husband and daddy - two things that may have never been possible if it wasn’t for Sheffield Kidney Institute and the selfless man who chose to be an organ donor and saved Liam’s life ♥️ this is the best way we can think of to say THANK YOU 🙏🏻