Son's transplant is the gift of life for father in law

A caring son gave his father-in-law the gift of life by undergoing a live kidney transplant.
Steve Walton and son-in-law Ryan Crawford, from Newton Hill, Wakefield, at Manchester Royal Infirmary just before the kidney transplant in January, 2016.Steve Walton and son-in-law Ryan Crawford, from Newton Hill, Wakefield, at Manchester Royal Infirmary just before the kidney transplant in January, 2016.
Steve Walton and son-in-law Ryan Crawford, from Newton Hill, Wakefield, at Manchester Royal Infirmary just before the kidney transplant in January, 2016.

Ryan Crawford, 44, of Willow Park, Newton Hill, donated a kidney to his father-in-law Steve Walton, 61, whose organ function had dramatically deteriorated.

After being diagnosed with kidney disease a decade ago, Mr Walton was having dialysis, a life support treatment which filters the blood, four times-a-week for the past 18 months.

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But dad-of-two Mr Crawford underwent a number of tests at St James’ Hospital in Leeds, which eventually showed the pair were a perfect match and the transplant took place at Manchester Royal Infirmary on January 14.

He said: “I feel relieved that I’ve done it. People call me a hero and I don’ think that’s the case. It’s just the right thing to do, I’m proud but I will be more proud on the day when he is on the other side of things and living a healthy life.

“Some people ask me why I took that risk but there’s no greater gift than the gift of giving someone else life.”

Mr Crawford has been recovering at home and his father-in-law is due to be discharged this month after taking drugs to ensure his immune system accepted the kidney.

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Now he is raising awareness of live transplants, which are less common than organs donated by the deceased.

He said: “It dawned on me afterwards that there is awareness of donor card for people who have passed away but there isn’t much information out there about live transplants. I want to raise awareness because someone stands a better chance with a live donor because they are generally younger people, rather than getting an organ from someone who has died of old age.”

For more information visit www.nhs.uk