Offering the gift of a healthy life
Lyse Comins spoke to two brothers who recently went through the organ transplant process and to a psychologist about the impact of a decision to donate in this third and final article in our series on organ donation
When Umhlanga businessman Micheal Davids heard his brother needed a kidney transplant, he immediately wanted to know whether he could be a donor.
David’s brother Matthew (45), a father of two who was running his own business in the fuel retail sector, had diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension, which lead to kidney disease.
He had to go for regular dialysis and was on the national waiting list for a transplant.
When Micheal saw his brother languishing in poor health, he volunteered to start the process to find out if he might be a match to donate a kidney.
‘I wanted to do it when I saw the pain and anguish he was going through at family functions. He wasn’t living, he was just breathing. I just wanted him to be well,’ he said.
After going through a battery of blood and other medical tests as well as counselling sessions over a two-month period, doctors performed a successful kidney transplant.
Now, just six months later, the brothers have made a full recovery and are both healthy and have no regrets about their decision. Micheal’s reward has been to see his brother’s health improve.
‘He is living life again. I would do it again any second, I wouldn’t hesitate,’ he said.
But donors like Micheal must be both physically and psychologically fit to undergo an organ donation.
Health professionals are stringent about assessing donor suitability in terms of physical and mental fitness and ensuring that the desire to donate is altruistic, without family pressure or promise of financial gain.
Netcare St Augustines Transplant Unit counselling psychologist Dr Carry de Rauville, who works with donors in the lengthy buildup to transplants, said health professionals screen donors to make sure there is no doubt about their decision and that they are not facing any major life stresses.
‘Often people will complain that the process is quite lengthy, but there is an advantage to that because it gives people time to contemplate their decision as they go through the process, which can be anything from three to six months,’ she said.
Fears De Rauville said it was normal to experience some fear ahead of donating a kidney.
‘People can be worried about physical symptoms and about having only one kidney. On a longterm basis they live with a sense of wariness about their health. Donors live a long and normal life, but there is always that niggle in the back of the mind that you’ve only got one kidney to rely on,’ she said.
But on a positive note, this often led to donors leading healthier lifestyles and to a sense of pride about their kind deed.
‘People tend to look after themselves better and watch their weight and their alcohol intake and it can be positive for the donor to sit back and know their own resiliency.
‘It can be quite a process of self-growth, knowing that they went through a selfless act for the benefit of someone else. It’s a very emotional thing and one is reminded of the depths of love for family,’ she said.
De Rauville said donors were usually known to recipients.
‘Very rarely we get someone (unrelated) who steps forward and wants to donate, but the process of donation is usually driven by the emotional connection between people which often outweighs the knowledge of risk,’ she said.
So, how can a potential donor know they are ready?
‘When you are certain that your drive and motivation outweigh any trepidation. You will have a lot of knowledge and it’s okay to have fear, but there mustn’t be any doubt. If you are having feelings of ‘maybe I shouldn’t do this’, then you’re not ready,’ she said.
‘If you think, ‘I just can’t imagine not possibly doing this’, that’s when you are ready. Motivation has to come from yourself, not from family or financial pressure, it has to be a gift,’ she said.
Matthew is extremely grateful that his brother stepped forward, unprompted, to offer him the gift of a healthy life. ‘I had put myself on a waiting list and then he volunteered.
Obviously I can’t be more appreciative, words cannot explain just how much it means,’ he said.
• For more information about organ donations, contact the Organ Donor Foundation on 0800 22 66 11 (toll free) or email marilyn@odf.org.za or visit www. odf.org.za
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