A FUNDRAISER for a Knutsford charity has continued the season of goodwill into the New Year after giving the most precious gift of all to her friend – her kidney.

Helen Crowther, who works at the Millington-based charity, The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust, will be donating her left kidney to Andy Clewes, a DJ with Macclesfield-based radio station Silk 106.9, today, Tuesday, January 24.

Andy has suffered with a chronic kidney disease since birth but it has only been in the past couple of years that it has started to have a devastating impact on his life.

Andy and Helen met in 2006 when Andy’s radio station ran ‘Bring a £’ to work day as part of the charity’s fundraising appeal.

The friends, who were born exactly a week apart, describe themselves as ‘two peas in a pod’ and Helen was Andy’s best woman when he wedded Christine in October 2016.

Helen stepped forward when it became clear Andy needed a transplant and had an agonising wait to see if they were a match after undergoing a simple blood test.

Helen, who lives in Clarence Street in Runcorn, said it would be ‘lovely’ to see Andy ‘healthy and happy’.

“It has been a long process checking whether my kidney was healthy enough to give to Andy but it’s all finally going ahead,” she said.

“I can’t deny that the prospect of having such a big operation scared me but all I can think about is getting Andy well.

“For me, it’s just a couple of months out of my life when I’ll feel a bit tired and sore but for Andy it will be a whole new life. It’ll be so lovely to see him healthy and happy, without the worry of his worsening condition getting him down.

“I’d never met his mum before the wedding in October and I wasn’t prepared for the way his mum was with me, she came over and kissed me and I wasn’t anticipating that. I was quite overwhelmed by it all.

“I’ve asked about lifestyle changes but they’ve said nothing will change – unless I take up something like kick-boxing!”

Andy and Helen will have their operations at separate hospitals, in separate cities today – with Helen’s taking place at the Royal Liverpool and Andy’s at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Helen’s operation took place in the morning before the kidney is transported down the M62 to Manchester where Andy’s operation will take place in the afternoon.

Andy, who lives in Crewe, said: “I’ve lived with chronic kidney disease for a long time now, but I feel lucky and grateful to be able to have had this transplant.

“It means I can get my life back and I’m very much looking forward to a future when I will be well.

“I’d like to appeal to everyone to sign up to the Organ Donor Register, or even to consider being a living donor, as you really will be changing lives.

“I’ve been lucky to have a friend who is willing and able to help, but others aren’t so fortunate and rely on the kindness of strangers.”

The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is a regional centre for kidney transplantation, treating patients from Merseyside, Cheshire and north Wales.

Sanjay Mehra, consultant transplant surgeon at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, added: “Across the UK one in ten people in need of a transplant die waiting for a donor.

“The short term and long term outcomes from a living donor transplant are excellent, however for a small minority of patients there may not be the expected result.

"Following his operation we would like to wish Andy the best outcome from his transplant.

“It’s vital that we get more people signed up to the Organ Donation Register, as we know that one donor could potentially change the lives of up to eight people. You can join the register at organdonation.nhs.uk/register or by calling 0300 123 2323.”

Find out how the operation went by picking up Thursday's Guardian.