Good mates joined at the kidney

Good mates joined at the kidney

Article from: Herald Sun
Carla Danaher

August 11, 2007 12:00am

FISHING buddies Eddie Wright and Craig Tanian share a unique bond that stretches beyond a shared love of dropping a line.

Two weeks ago, Mr Wright donated Mr Tanian one of his kidneys, freeing him from five-hour thrice-weekly dialysis sessions.

Friends for more than 20 years, Mr Wright, a MICA paramedic from Moe, and Mr Tanian, who runs a Traralgon smash repair business, now want to spread the word about organ donation.

Mr Tanian, 45, suffered kidney failure after a dirt bike accident two years ago and was on dialysis for 13 months.

When his mate offered a kidney, he was dumbfounded.

"I can't thank Eddie enough -- it changes your whole life," Mr Tanian said. "We're looking to the future now."

Not only were they a suitable match for donation, the transplant was a total success.

"I was a bit surprised when we matched," Mr Wright, 44, said. "From then, I didn't even think about turning back.

"He had more to lose than me. If it hadn't worked, I would have been really disappointed for him."

Mr Wright laughed off any talk of a repayment for his grand gesture of friendship, but his mate pulled him up.

"Hang on -- you said you wanted a helicopter," Mr Tanian laughed, referring to the late Kerry Packer, whose pilot donated a kidney to him.

Now his friend has his kidney, Mr Wright joked, "he's going to end up hairy like me".

Mr Wright will be off work for about six weeks, then return to light duties for another four to six weeks.

Mr Tanian has a couple of months to recover fully, but aims to return to work soon.

The pair hope to raise funds for dialysis in Traralgon and encourage more people to consider organ donation.

Monash Medical Centre kidney transplant specialist John Kanellis said Mr Wright was not only a suitable donor, but an enthusiastic one.

"It's a big commitment but Eddie was extremely determined," Dr Kanellis said. "He remained there and loyal through the entire process."

Dr Kanellis said the success rate for kidney transplants was more than 90 per cent.

About 50 kidney transplants are performed at Monash each year, 20 from live donors.

Nationwide, about 700 kidney transplants are performed a year, but 1500 people are still on the waiting list for a donor.

Net link: www.organdonation

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