As six people die every week in the UK whilst waiting for a kidney transplant, a woman from London who donated one of hers to a stranger to save her niece’s life, is calling for more people to step forward as donors.
Prafula Shah, 63, from London, has shared her experience to help raise awareness of the need for more living kidney donors in the South Asian community.
Prafula’s niece Shakti was born with only one kidney, which did not function at full capacity. When Shakti’s kidney declined to the point of her needing a transplant two decades later, Prafula had no hesitation in putting herself forward as a living donor.
She has chosen to share her story this Organ Donation Week 2024 in support of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation which offers support for people who are considering donating.
Prafula, who works as a communications consultant, was not a direct match for her niece. However, she was able to donate via the UK Kidney Sharing Scheme in 2018 at the Royal Free Hospital in London, which ‘swapped’ Prafula’s kidney with another recipient-donor pair in a similar situation so that both recipients can receive a better-matching kidney.
The need for kidney transplants has never been greater, with more than 6,200 people currently on the waiting list. A recent report from Kidney Research UK1 showed that people of Black, Asian or mixed heritage are disproportionately affected by kidney disease and are more likely to experience kidney failure than people of white heritage, making up 22.7% of people in the UK receiving life-sustaining kidney replacement therapy, such as dialysis treatment.
On average, patients from minority ethnic groups wait longer than white patients to receive a transplant. In 2020, only 7% of deceased kidney donors were from minority ethnic groups despite minority ethnic groups representing 37% of the kidney transplant waiting list. 2
At first Prafula found it strange to be operated on despite being healthy herself, but knew it was the right thing to do for her niece and whoever was receiving her own kidney. She said: “It was a strange feeling, knowing I was going to have an operation even though I was perfectly well. But I was just so pleased that not only had a match been found for Shakti, but that someone else was also going to get the kidney they needed from me.”
Having recovered completely from her operation, Prafula is continuing to raising awareness of living kidney donation among her community. “People often want to know if our faith allows it. I tell them that within both the Jain and Hindu faiths, benevolence to others is supposed to be a key principle,” she added. “And what could be a greater act of benevolence than transforming someone’s life by giving them part of yourself?”
Sandra Currie, chief executive at Kidney Research UK, said: “Living kidney donation offers the opportunity to change a kidney patient’s life. Right now, six people die each week whilst waiting for a kidney. We know that living donation is a vital way to save the lives of people living with kidney disease, and we’re proud to be a part of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation and raise awareness of the need for more living kidney donors like Prafula.”
The Robert Dangoor Partnership is delivered by the two UK charities Kidney Research UK and Give a Kidney to provide potential donors with information and specialist help to guide and support them throughout their donation journey.
Reflecting on her journey now, Prafula has no regrets. “I’ll never forget when I came to after the operation and asked how Shakti was, and they told me the kidney was working within 30 seconds of the transplant. And the other fantastic news was that my donor kidney was also working well! Now, when I see Shakti progressing in her life, I am humbled that my one act of kindness has made such a massive difference to her life.
“I feel so well, it’s sometimes hard to believe I’ve even lost a kidney. My body functions perfectly well on just one. I would do it all again, if I had another one to spare.”
