Chesterfield man donates kidney to best friend

“How can I ever thank him enough?” said Adam, 30, of East Street, Doe Lea. “He has helped me carry on and lead a normal life. I just can’t put it into words.”

This month Adam became the 12th member of his family to receive a donor kidney - setting a transplant record for the whole of Europe.

His family suffer a genetic condition called polycystic kidney disease and Adam has known since the age of five he would one day need a transplant.

He has seen his mum Bridey Greenway and uncle Barry Kerr among family members to receive donor kidneys.

For the last three years Adam’s condition has been deteriorating rapidly and he was set to have dialysis treatment as his kidneys were functioning at only ten per cent.

Adam, who is a sales representative for Engineering and Welding Supplies in Sutton-in-Ashfield and plays bass guitar in Chesterfield bands Clawback the Day and Escape Plan, said his condition left him drained of energy.

He added: “I was too tired to go to band practice. I would sleep for ten hours but still feel exhausted.

“It was hard to give stuff up socially but I couldn’t play football properly at the weekend or go out drinking with friends.”

Adam met Jamie at Birdholme nursery and the pair remained close friends through school.

Jamie, 30, of Walton, who works at Gullivers Kingdom in Matlock Bath, said: “We are one big close family and Adam is more like a brother to me. When I heard he was going to have to have dialysis I said to him ‘where do I go to get tested?’ I knew I had to help.”

The friends underwent four-hour surgery at Sheffield’s Northern General on Thursday, February 13.

But following the procedure Jamie discovered he was allergic to the pain relief morphine and the surgical plasters.

He added: “I had to come off pain relief and had a rash around the wound so I did suffer a bit more than I thought but it’s been worth it in the end.

“After the operation Adam came to see me and I could see straight away he looked different - he had more energy than me.”

Jamie said he has no regrets about the operation and is delighted to see his friend with a new lease of life.

Adam said: “Before the transplant I’d be out of breath just walking up the stairs now I feel like I could do a marathon.

“Jamie has helped me get my life back on track, I’ve not had to give up work and I’m looking forward to the future. It’s an incredibly selfless thing to do but that’s Jamie all over, he always looks out for others.”

Adam’s wife Sarah added: “We planned our whole future around Adam being ill. We’ll never be able to thank Jamie enough for what he’s done.”