Man gives kidney to stranger

Man gives kidney to stranger

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Last Modified: 27 Dec 2008
Source: PA News

A managing director has told how he gave one of his kidneys to a stranger after reading a newspaper appeal.

Tim Rowles, 46, of Leiston, Suffolk, decided to contact 43-year-old Wendy Adams after seeing her plea for a donor in the East Anglian Daily Times.

Ms Adams, formerly of Martlesham, Suffolk but who now lives in Haarlem, Holland, needed nine hours of dialysis a day after her one kidney started to fail.

But her rare blood group - type O-negative - meant the chances of finding a match were remote.

Mr Rowles, who manages a label-making firm in Saxstead, Suffolk, was alerted to Ms Adams' plight by his wife, Debbie.

"My wife saw the article and phoned me at work. I read it online and thought 'I'm going to do that'," said Mr Rowles, who has a 17-year-old daughter, Alex.

"I knew that the O-negative blood group was quite rare and thought she had a pretty slim chance of getting a kidney. I thought 'well, I'm in a position to help' and decided to email her."

Mr Rowles then travelled to meet Ms Adams and her partner, Gary Leatherland, 31, at their home, in Haarlem, Holland. After striking up a friendship, the pair went under the surgeon's knife at a hospital near Amsterdam on December 17.

The transplant has so far proved to be a success, with Ms Adams leaving hospital after seven days and Mr Rowles returning home for the festive period.

Mr Rowles said his family fully supported his decision to help save the life of a stranger.

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