A Perth man is celebrating his first festive season since a mystery donor gave him the gift of life.
James Hutcheson’s life was saved when he received a rare donation of a kidney from a so-called altruistic donor who gave up the organ without having any knowledge of where it might go.
The unexpected present allowed the 41-year-old to turn his life around after three years on dialysis.
James has no idea who was behind the selfless gift but says he will be eternally grateful to them.
“I just want to thank them for the difference it’s made to my life,” he said.
“I know nothing about the donor you don’t get told anything about the person donating the kidney. I’m very grateful because it’s meant a great change in my life from being on dialysis every second day.
“I was on it for three years. It was acting as my kidney and cleaning my blood out. This is the first Christmas in a while that I’ve had my health.”
James’ kidneys began to fail as a result of high blood pressure and for three years he was dependant on a machine to clear his blood of waste.
He said the donated organ had given him a new lease of life since his operation in March, enabling him to take a job as a joiner and to adopt a new companion, weimaraner puppy Misty.
James said: “It’s given me my life back. I am back working and I’ve got a dog and can go out walking her whereas before the dialysis left me too tired.
“I couldn’t do anything much because afterwards I was just coming home and going to sleep.
“It allowed me to enjoy Christmas more and be with my family. I still have to be on a special diet no salty foods and no drinking.
“I enjoy taking Misty for walks it’s a bit of freedom and fresh air and exercise. It’s the sort of freedom I never had when I was hooked up to a machine.
“I’d say that anyone who is thinking about donating a kidney should go ahead and do it, because you can get by with one kidney but it makes such a difference to people like me.”
Earlier this week The Courier told of a Tayside man who celebrated his 26th Christmas with transplanted kidneys.
David Officer, 68, a farmer from near Montrose, had a successful operation on Burns Night 1988 after both his kidneys failed. The longevity of the donated organs means David’s operation is among the most successful transplants ever to take place in Scotland.