Glasgow man on a mission to raise awareness of kidney disease after ‘life-changing’' transplant
Asim Afzal from Newton Mearns, was given a kidney by his wife in 2012
Asim Afzal, from Newton Mearns, Glasgow, is on a mission to fight kidney disease twelve years after receiving a transplant which saved his life.
He and his family are taking to the city’s streets today for Kidney Research UK’s Glasgow Bridges Walk in a bid to raise ‘vital’ funds for kidney disease research.
His wife Noor donated one of her kidneys in 2012 after he experienced kidney failure, giving Asim a “second chance” at life which he has been determined to grasp.
He said: “I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude to my wife, the NHS in Scotland, and the researchers that made my transplant possible.
“Without it, I literally wouldn’t be here, achieving what I am today.”
The family are hoping to encourage more people to consider giving live kidney donations, particularly people from the South Asian community.
Black and South Asian people are disproportionately affected by kidney disease but also face longer transplant waiting times due to a shortage of donations from the communities.
Asim is hoping his story can inspire this to change.
He said: “We need to address this within the Asian community, and I am committed to making that happen.
“If more of us choose to donate organs, it could significantly reduce waiting times to be on par with the rest of the population.”
Fortunately for Asim, Noor’s live kidney donation meant he dialysed for less than six months, however the average waiting time for an Asian adult for a kidney transplant remains one year and seven months.
Marc Shaw, head of community events and volunteering at Kidney Research UK, has praised the family’s efforts to raise awareness of kidney disease.
He said: “Asim and his family have been on an extraordinary journey and it’s thanks to people like them and all those taking part this weekend that we’re able to keep funding the vital research that will bring about change.”