Matthew Baynes, Rector of the Bredon Group of parishes, has lived with kidney disease for the last 22 years. Last Christmas, they received the results of biopsy which showed that Matthew’s kidneys had only 10% functionality.
Matthew’s wife, Bryony, is Head of Kempsey Primary School. She said: “We’ve lived with Matthew’s illness as a family and I always thought that if the time came I would put myself forward as a kidney donor.”
Bryony went onto the living donor programme, which involved numerous scans, blood testing and psychological profiling to ensure she was completely healthy. Four months later, in September, Bryony donated one of her kidneys to Matthew.
After just a week in hospital Matthew returned home, and was back taking the harvest festival service in church two weeks later! Bryony was out of hospital after five days, but took a bit longer to get up to full steam. “I felt far more tired and lacking in energy for a while,” said Bryony. “Being a living donor wasn’t always easy, but I never once thought that I didn’t want to do it and would definitely do it again if I could!”
Bryony and Matthew are now trying to raise the profile of living organ donation. “The average length of wait for a deceased donor is 2 – 4 years and can sometimes be much longer,” said Matthew. “But generally individuals don’t need two kidneys and with some exceptions, anyone can be a donor for anyone else.” The couple’s three grown up children have also raised over £6,000 for Kidney research. “We feel passionately about the difference it’s made to our lives – it’s given me the chance of a life I wouldn’t have had,” said Matthew.
Please pray for Matthew, Bryony and their family. Pray for all those currently awaiting an organ donor.
Droitwich Deanery – Rural Dean: Sheila Banyard; Lay Chair: Janet Bryan
The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia: Archbishop William Brown Turei
