It was 1979 when Anthony Carroll’s first kidney was removed. Anthony was at the vibrant age of 20 when doctors found the malignant tumour. They gave him no choice but to remove the whole thing. 

Anthony was energetic and beginning to pave his way for a long and fruitful career as a clients’ consultant within the Insurance industry. He bounced right back with a speedy recovery. It was his career choice, rather than his lost kidney, that he would later attribute to the toll on his health.

Eventually, he says, he felt burnt out from work related stress and responsibilities. When diagnosed with renal cancer in his remaining kidney 38 years later, it became desperately apparent that he needed a change of pace. Anthony would have to undergo a partial nephrectomy (the removal of the affected part of his kidney) in an effort to preserve the salvageable remainder of his kidney.

Post-surgery, Anthony was given his first ever blood transfusion, but soon started feeling noticeably low in energy and nauseous. He’d been given a urinary catheter which started blocking and was causing him great pain. After 24 hours in constant agony, an ambulance ride to the hospital and a CT scan, Anthony was told his kidney was bleeding significantly, as well as over-producing urine.

“I decided to lighten my load of responsibilities and stress, for my health”, says Anthony. “I’m grateful to the donors for their good deeds – it’s thanks to them I was able to start on the road to recovery.”  “If there is someone out there considering becoming a donor, I’d tell them it’s a really important thing to do. It sounds much worse than what it actually is, and the process is handled very professionally – don’t let your fears keep you from doing such a great deed. Remember, it saves lives.”