A man who recently underwent a second kidney transplant in September 2019 has shared what it has meant to him and his family, in a bid to highlight the importance of organ donation.

Richard Brown, 70 from Netherton in North Lanarkshire, spoke of how the worry has lifted after spending seven years on dialysis, and the freedom he now has, thanks to his donor.

Richard was first diagnosed with a kidney condition called IgA nephropathy in 2011, and started dialysis in 2012.

His first transplant went ahead in September 2014, but a number of problems including Richard contracting pneumonia led to the transplant failing and the kidney needing to be removed.

Richard’s daughter who was due to get married in Cyprus the following year cancelled her wedding, reorganising the celebration in their home town.

Richard was relisted and started back on dialysis, treatment that continued for another five years until he received another call in September 2019, the day after his and wife Carol’s 39th wedding anniversary.

Richard said: “When the call came in September, I went straight to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow that morning.

“When I came round, I remember thinking how fortunate I was. I’m very, very grateful.”

Prior to his transplant, Richard’s wife Carol raised funds for Kidney Research UK at Monklands Hospital.

From autumn 2020, the law on organ and tissue donation is changing in Scotland to opt-out. This means that if people have not recorded a decision about donation, it may be assumed they’re willing to be a donor when they die.