Two Gloucestershire brothers who received life-changing organ transplants are preparing to represent the county together at the Westfield Health British Transplant Games.
William and Josh Beddows were both diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as children. Josh was diagnosed at the age of nine and William when he was 12.
Over the years, complications associated with the condition caused both brothers’ kidney functions to deteriorate.
Josh, aged 35, who lives in Gloucester with his partner, Clare, 16-year-old daughter Milly and nine-year-old son Harvey, received a kidney from his mum, Gretchen, seven years ago.
William, aged 38, who lives in Stroud with his partner, Steph, and their five-year-old twins Bear and Billie, received a combined kidney and pancreas transplant after spending three years on the transplant waiting list.
The brothers will now represent the Gloucestershire Adults Team in golf at the Games which will bring together more than 2,800 competitors – including over 1,000 transplant recipients, living donors and donor families – and take place in Sheffield between August 6 and 9.
The Games aim to demonstrate what can be achieved following transplantation, celebrate the generosity of donors and encourage more families to discuss their organ donation wishes.
Josh said: “Seven years ago, on Christmas Day, I looked down and my ankles were really swollen. I went to hospital and, because of water retention, my kidney function had dropped to 11. It is above 90 for the average person.
“Because it was an emergency, they put me straight onto dialysis and inserted an essential line into my neck. I was on dialysis for 11 months.
“Our mum, Gretchen, was tested to see whether she would be a match as a living kidney donor, and she was. The operation took place at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.
“My kidney transplant was seven years ago and, until the past few weeks, it had been successful.
“My kidney function had gone up to 63 per cent after receiving mum’s kidney, which was brilliant, but I had a blood test recently and unfortunately it had dropped to nine.
“The doctors increased my anti-rejection medication and, luckily, it is now on the way back up. It has reached 21 and they hope it will rise to between 40 and 50 during the next four to 12 weeks.
“Our mum lives by the sea in Devon and she is absolutely fine. Her kidney function is 48.”
William’s kidney function began deteriorating around 10 years ago. At this point, he underwent blood tests every six months to monitor his condition.
He said: “Four years ago, my kidney function dropped to the point where I needed dialysis. I went onto the transplant waiting list because there was no viable living donor for me.
“I was on the list for just over three years. Then, in October, I received a call asking me to go to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, where I received a double transplant of a kidney and pancreas.
“All I know about my donor is that he was a man in his mid-to-late 40s.
“Receiving a pancreas as well has stopped my diabetes, although Josh is still diabetic.
“Before our transplants we were both on dialysis three times a week in hospital, for four hours a time. It takes all the energy out of you. The next day you do feel ok but after any exercise or doing anything manual you do get very tired which is no life for anyone at all.”
William spent around six months recovering from the combined transplant and now has stable kidney function of approximately 45 per cent.
He has since returned to his physically demanding job as a groundworker, building homes.
William said: “The twins had only ever known me to be poorly before I received my transplant.
“Now I’m back at work and we are all enjoying family adventures thanks to the miracle of having a transplant.”
The brothers decided to enter the British Transplant Games after William met fellow double-transplant recipient Adrian Heeley while undergoing dialysis.
William said: “Adrian lives only a couple of streets away from me and took part in the Games last year. That prompted us to enter.
“Josh and I started playing golf while we were on dialysis, so we are still very new to it. We thought it would be fitting to play golf together at the Games.”
For more information about the Westfield Health British Transplant Games, visit www.transplantactive.co.uk.
For more information about organ donation or to register your decision, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
