Penparcau organ donor memorial garden"".

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This evening, we will share how Linda shared her spare kidney with her husband Ronnie. So, this morning, before we do, we share Ronnie’s story

“My name is Ronnie and on the 18th February 2022 I had a kidney transplant, I received my kidney from my wife Linda.

I knew I had a kidney problem decades ago as I had inherited Polycystic Kidney Disease from my mother, the condition contributed to her death when I was in high school.

Around about 2019 my kidney function had decreased to the point where the renal team talked more about getting ready for a transplant, the talks included the options available, live donor or deceased.

Linda my wife say she would take the test to see if she could be a suitable donor and thankfully after the tests had been completed it turned out she was literally a perfect match.

At this time the renal team said that the transplant was a few years away but that it was always good to be prepared, and that a live donor was always better and the donated kidney would be better and should last longer.

There was one surgeon who jumped the gun and thought the transplant should go ahead immediately. This was a shock to Linda and I as we thought it was a few years away, so we consulted the renal team who said this was wrong and the surgeon should not have said that. We made a complaint and received an apology.

As time progressed my kidney function was deteriorating slowly, many due to generally being healthy(ish) I reckon.I have never smoked, not a drinker, and we tend as a family to eat healthily. I think one of the main reasons is that I cycle a lot, and at the time I was road cycling, mountain biking and had also been track cycling. Cycling is my preferred option for traveling to work, which is a 25km round trip.

When the renal team decided that the level of my kidney function had reached a level where we needed to get things in order for the transplant it was 2021, it was time to get organised, with a few tests and final checks to be concluded.

All of the medical things now happening were conducted at the Queen Elizabeth in Glasgow, but prior to this I had been attending the renal department clinics at Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow. If I am honest I sort of thought this day was still a long way of (maybe I was in a sort of denial).However it progressed to the point where Linda and I had to get tested, for among other things covid, to make sure we were healthy for the donation and transplant,

It was in November 2021 and we had got ourselves and our kids, Kerry & Ross, ready for what was going to happen and had put plans into action for after the transplant. Unfortunately Linda got a call from the transplant coordinators to let her know that she had tested positive for covid and that we would have to wait, then be retested before the procedure could be restarted. Linda was eventually given the all clear before the end of 2021 and we had a date for the transplant, 18th February 2022

At the same time I was told by my then employer that I would not be returning to a full-time job, rather I would only being doing about 25% of what I was doing,
Thankfully I was told the University of Glasgow were looking for new security staff, so in December 2021 I went for an interview. Fortunately I knew 2 of the 3 people on the interview panel, and the third was ex military and had finished her army career in the unit I was just leaving. The interview couldn't have gone any better, even after I informed them about the impending transplant. I started work on the 10th January 2022 and was then to quarantine from 31 January.

Upon arriving in the hospital I was still in a slight daze on the 17th February, with Linda due to come in on the morning of the transplant. I remember the morning of the surgery with the staff sorting things out, and knowing when Linda was due in and the approximate time of her surgery.

Suddenly before I knew it the team to transport me to theatre were at my door and the moment had come. Travelling down to theatre I don't think I was nervous or worried. As we arrived at the theatre waiting area I was pushed past Linda who was recovering and was glad to see she was ok. I had a little wait till the time to go into theatre came and it was only then that I thought, for one time only, whether I would wake up again. As the anesthetic was administered, I drifted off to sleep.

I clearly remember waking up back in my room, and the first thing I done was lift up my gown to see if the surgery had gone ahead and thankfully it had.

My recovery was quite quick and I was allowed home the following Tuesday, the day after Linda went home, Linda came in to see me when she was up and about, and it was a relief to know she was ok.

Once home we both had to take it easy for a while in order to recover. To be honest I didn't feel the massive difference a lot of people feel post transplant and I put this down to being quite fit and healthy. However it was hard to see how hard it had been on Linda, although we had been told that live donors take a bit longer to recover and had prepared for it but I didn't know how difficult.

Last year I was invited to take part in the Official World Transplant Games in Dresden in a cycling event which was after participating in Transplant Active - Home of the British Transplant Games in Oxford where both Linda and I attended as part of the Glasgow Transplant Sports Team.

Life is good and I cannot properly express my gratitude enough to the sacrifice Linda went through to give new a kidney, she is not one in a million but I would say she is one of a kind, an extremely rare type of person.”

Please about your decisions with your loved ones, say and register your decision at NHS Organ Donation

Kindly written by a lady at aber university
If anyone knows of any groups locally who need a speaker then.please let us know thank you

To Whom It May Concern,
It is my great privilege to provide this testimonial in support of Teresa Wilkin and her
powerful session, “Claire’s Story.”
Teresa, accompanied by her husband, has delivered this session for our students on
two occasions thus far, and on each occasion, it has been profoundly moving,
memorable, and educational. Her ability to share such a deeply personal experience
with honesty, compassion, and clarity is truly remarkable. She is an exceptionally
engaging and skilled public speaker, drawing in the audience and creating a respectful
space for reflection, learning, and discussion.
“Claire’s Story” offers an invaluable perspective that is rarely heard within healthcare
education, the lived experience of a family navigating a devastating diagnosis, end-of life care, and the organ donation process. The session provides a balanced and
thoughtful account of Claire’s journey, including both the aspects of care that were
compassionate and exemplary, and those which could have been improved. This
honesty is incredibly important for our students, as it allows them to understand the real
impact of their future practice on patients and families.
In addition, Teresa highlights the lasting legacy of Claire through organ donation and
her ongoing work to promote awareness. Her dedication, including initiatives such as
the Organ Donor Memorial Garden in Penparcau, is both inspiring and impactful. She
brings a powerful message about the importance of compassion, communication, and
the difference that healthcare professionals can make at the most difficult times in
people’s lives.
The feedback from our students has been overwhelmingly positive. Many describe the
session as an extremely meaningful learning experience within their programme, one
that stays with them and influences their attitudes towards care, empathy, and
professional responsibility.
I would highly recommend Teresa to any organisation seeking a speaker who can
deliver a deeply human, thought-provoking, and impactful session. Her work is
incredibly important, and her voice is one that deserves to be heard widely.
Ellie Jolley-Dawson

The day the soldiers that were walking around britain to commerate the battle of the somme
They honoured organ donors with a visit to penparcau organ donor memorial garden
Irony is my uncle fough5 this battle he died at the age of 16

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It's now easier than ever to check, record or update your organ donation decision.

Just open the NHS App...

Right now, 8,200+ people are on the transplant waiting list, the highest number on record. And 9 in 10 families say yes to donation when they know it was what their loved one wanted.

A simple tap could make all the difference.

1) Open the NHS App.
2) Tap the banner on the homepage or go to your account settings and take a minute to record your wishes.
3) Sit back and relax.

It could be the most important thing you do today.

"I received a liver in 2018, and I’m forever grateful to the family who donated their loved one’s organs. I wouldn’t be here without them. I wouldn’t be here for my five grandkids if I hadn’t received this gift. At the time, there were only two, but now I have five, and I’m beyond grateful to be here with them.

I now understand the impact organ donation has in helping others. I felt both sadness and gratitude. I was sad someone died so I could receive a liver, but also grateful for a second chance.

Organ donors are true heroes."

—Tammy C.

A year ago today we First told claires story to student nurses at aber university and it went down well
Since then we were asked to do it again in march this year we feel its such a good thing to do That we are now taking bookings
At the moment We have bookings for july september and march next year so if anyone knows of any group that might be interested
In
"Claires story "
"A story of hope and inspiration "

Please let us know
Thank you
(Free of charge)