Family trauma spurs Marie on to Iceland trek

Family trauma spurs Marie on to Iceland trek

By Chris Saunderson
Published: 06 July, 2007

INTREPID Marie Chisholm will have her father and uncle in her thoughts when she treks across Iceland in support of Kidney Research.

Marie (20), from Lossiemouth, is a regular charity fundraiser but her latest challenge will be particularly close to her heart.

Both her dad Alan and uncle Ricky Thomson have been given a new lease of life through kidney transplants.

Ms Chisholm aims to raise over £2,500 for Kidney Research UK and is just £500 short of her target.

And she also hopes that by raising awareness more people will sign up to become organ donors.

She has done skydiving and abseiling in the past to raise money for a variety of charities, but next month’s challenge will be more poignant.

"This one is very personal to me and that makes it more special. The money will be helping people that have gone through the same thing as my dad and uncle," she said.

She will trek across Iceland from August 18-27, walking for up to eight hours each day.

Her walking boots have seen plenty of action in recent weeks as she steps up her training and she has been cycling to and from work in Elgin to boost her fitness.

Ms Chisholm, an administrative receptionist with Elgin optician Duncan and Todd, has done bag packing at Marks and Spencer and organised a quiz night at the local rugby club to help raise money.

She has also received a sponsorship boost from her work, with bosses agreeing to donate the proceeds from any nose pad and other repairs during July to her charity effort. People can also donate online at www.justgiving.com/mariechisholm

Her proud dad said: "It is a great thing she is doing. Marie is something else and has never been scared of anything. She has been doing a lot of training for this and it sounds very hard."

Mr Chisholm, an upholsterer, underwent his kidney transplant in 1992 after being on dialysis for eight months.

"I had gone to the doctor on the Tuesday with severe headaches and by the Friday I was in Aberdeen on dialysis," he said.

He had to make twice weekly trips to Aberdeen for dialysis treatment – Dr Gray’s Hospital did not have a renal unit at that time – which left him drained of energy and exhausted.

When the chance of a transplant came up, Mr Chisholm (50) was able to draw support from his brother-in-law, who received a new kidney in 1978.

"Being able to talk to Ricky and seeing him get on with his life gave me a boost," said Mr Chisholm, who has enjoyed good health for the last 15 years.

However, he is one of the lucky ones: last year in the UK 400 people died while waiting for a transplant of some kind. Kidney transplants are by far the most common.

"There is a terrible shortage of donors. When I go through to the clinics for my check-ups, which is in the renal ward, I see all the people still on dialysis," said Mr Chisholm.

Mr Thomson (51), a plumber, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his transplant next April without any complications.

"Everything has gone great, touch wood, since the transplant," said Mr Thomson, who underwent a triple heart bypass in 2003.

"I was on dialysis for two years before my transplant and had a machine in the house. Without a transplant I would have remained on dialysis and my life would not have been great.

"I think it’s great what Marie is doing and I would encourage everybody to carry a donor card," he added.

There are currently more than 9,000 people awaiting an organ donation but less than 3,000 transplants are carried out each year.

The aim of National Transplant week, from July 7-14, is to encourage more people to carry a donor card.

"Transplants depend on the generosity of donors willing to make this life-saving gift to others," said an NHS Grampian spokeswoman.

Kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel can all be transplanted. Tissue can also be donated: corneas, skin, bone, tendons, cartilage and heart valves can be used to help others. Most people can donate tissue.

"The more people who pledge to donate their organs after their death, the more people stand to benefit," she added.

Many people carry a donor card but have never registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register. This is a confidential, UK-wide, computerised database holding the names and wishes of those who want to donate after their death. Anyone joining the register should tell their family and friends, during their lifetime, so their wishes are known.

You can sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, by phoning 0845 60 60 400 or via www.uktransplant.org.uk

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