PAIR GIVE A KIDNEY TO BROTHER

PAIR GIVE A KIDNEY TO BROTHER - 18 YEARS APART

Monday January 4,2010
By Dan Townend

TWO brothers gave their other brother the gift of life by each donating a kidney to him – with an 18-year gap.

Father-of-four Glyn Withers, 44, was born with kidney problems and had to have one removed at the age of two. He battled with dialysis but at the age of 25, one of his brothers, Steve, donated a kidney to him in one of the country’s first kidney donations from a living donor.

But after around 15 years, the kidney that bricklayer Steve had donated began to fail. At this point younger brother Roger stepped in and offered to donate one of his kidneys to Glyn as well.

Six weeks ago Roger underwent the gruelling three-hour operation – at Southmead Hospital, Bristol – to give one of his kidneys to Glyn. Both brothers are now recovering well. Speaking from his home in Bridgwater, Somerset, Glyn said: “I felt quite guilty when Roger offered because I’d already had one brother’s kidney and I didn’t think it was fair.

“But Roger kept ringing and nagging me until I agreed. My brothers are brilliant. They have gone through a lot of pain for me – there’s no way I can ever repay them.”

Roger, 40, a baker from Taunton, Somerset, said: “I didn’t have to think about it at all. Glyn is my brother and I love him to pieces.”

They are now appealing to other people to consider donations. About 8,000 are awaiting kidney transplants.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/149547/Pair-give-a-kidney-to-brother-18-years-apart