Kidney Transplants - the real NHS story from today

There is a bit of a furore today about an interim NHS report appearing early, apparently as a piece of electioneering. To be honest it's a bit par for the course from New Labour and the best thing we can do is ignore it.

The real NHS story today is this one about two couples who have swapped kidneys. I have kidney disease (IgA Nephropathy), but have been very lucky in that it causes me little or no problems - but it does give me an interest in the issue. I admire anyone who chooses to donate a kidney as a live donor. It is a painful process, in fact it is more painful to donate a kidney than receive one. (When you receive a kidney they don't remove your old ones - just fit the new one in). The two donors in this arrangement should be congratulated.

There is a real lack of donor organs in Britain and we need new ways of making them available. This scheme is a great start.