A Fife father has given his seriously ill son the “most selfless gift”.
A kidney transplant has been on the cards for George Portwood from the age of four and when, aged 21, George discovered he needed the operation, his father Graham decided to donate a kidney.
George was born with Alport syndrome a genetic disorder that causes renal failure but he did not start to feel the effects of the disease until early last year.
Feeling hugely tired, he was told by medics at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, that he was in renal failure.
The Ceres man was put on the waiting list for a kidney transplant in June.
Worried about how long George might have to wait for a donor to become available, Graham, 53, decided to see if he could donate one of his kidneys.
He underwent rigorous testing and finally discovered that he was a suitable match, meaning that the transplant could go ahead in November.
Graham said: “We always knew George would need a transplant at some point but we really hoped he would be a bit older when the time came.
“He started to deteriorate very rapidly, though, so when we were told he would need a kidney transplant, it was a natural reaction for me to see if I could put myself forward.”
George has two brothers but, aged 24 and 26, Graham felt they are too young to go through the process.
“Just before the operation, George was sleeping all the time, had dark circles under his eyes and wasn’t the George we knew.
“My wife, Denise and I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome, though. The operation went very smoothly and the team at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh were faultless the professionalism of each department involved was exemplary.”
Graham recovered quickly and returned to work part-time after six weeks.
But most importantly, he said: “We finally got our son back.”
George was overwhelmed by the decision his father made.
“I think my dad and I both knew in our heads that he would offer to donate a kidney to me, as we knew he wouldn’t want anyone else in our family to be tested before him.
“It’s like he saw it as his duty to help me in any way he could.”
Briefly, George started to reject his kidney but after four days it started working properly.
“I can honestly say, I’ve got my life back,” he added.
If Graham had not stepped in, George admitted he would be one of the many patients having to go through dialysis.
“It’s the most selfless gift someone can give and I’m forever grateful for this. However, I do realise some people aren’t as lucky as I am, to find a match within their family, so I’d urge anyone who wants to be an organ donor to share their wishes with their family and friends.”