"Every day is a struggle" says Seaham DJ as campaign launched for lifesaving kidney donor
“I just want the chance to live a normal life again”
A well-known wedding and events DJ from Seaham is appealing to the public for help in finding a life-saving kidney donor.
Graeme Willis, 40, has lived with chronic kidney disease his entire life after being born with just one kidney. Over the years, his kidney function has gradually declined and he is now awaiting a transplant.
Without a suitable donor, Graeme faces the prospect of dialysis in the coming years.
Explaining the deterioration in his condition, Graeme said: “When I was born all my organs were located on the outside of my body. I spent the first year of my life in hospital as they tried to fix me.
“I was born with only one kidney and doctors have always told me that over time its function would decline and that one day I will need a transplant. I thought this might be in my fifties or sixties, not at 40.”
Despite living with his significant health challenges, including an ileostomy, Graeme has built a career within the North East wedding and events industry, entertaining couples and guests at weddings and celebrations across the region.
Behind the music and smiles, however, Graeme faces a daily battle with the affects of his failing kidney.
He said: “The condition causes constant fatigue and affects every aspect of life. I’m tired all the time and everything, even the simplest of tasks, is exhausting.
"I have to carefully manage my diet and potassium levels. A kidney transplant would give me the chance to live a more normal life and stop struggling every day."
With Graeme’s condition having deteriorated, a campaign has now been launched to find him the lifesaving donor he needs to “avoid the prospect of dialysis and give me the chance to look forward to a brighter future”.
Michaela Hess, founder of the North East Wedding Network, is helping raise awareness of Graeme's search for a donor.
She said: “Graeme has spent years helping couples create unforgettable memories on one of the most important days of their lives.
"Now we're asking our community and the wider public to help him. We're not asking for donations, we're simply asking people to learn more about living kidney donation, to share Graeme's story, and consider whether they could be tested.
“Sometimes all it takes is one person seeing a story at the right time."
People are being asked to share Graeme’s story on social media and to talk to friends and family about kidney donation.
Graeme said: "Ideally I need to find a live donor as this will give me five extra years compared to a kidney donated from a deceased person. My consultant wants to try and find a donor before I start dialysis.
“I’ve asked the obvious family members, but they have young children and have understandably said they may one day need to donate a kidney to them.
“I’m now at the point where I’m appealing to anyone out there who may be willing to help. More than anything, I just want the chance to live a normal life again.”
According to the NHS organ donation website a “healthy person can lead a normal life with only one functioning kidney and therefore are able to donate the other to help someone in need of a kidney transplant”.
Anyone interested in donating a kidney to Graeme is urged to contact the Living Kidney Donor Nurse Specialist Team at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust by emailing [email protected]