People from African Caribbean background are more likely to develop illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, which are the major causes of kidney failure in the black community. Living kidney donation reduces the amount of time many black kidney patients spend on dialysis whilst wait for a transplant.
How we started
Gift of Living Donation is an community organisation working to promote and create awareness of living kidney donation in the black community. It was set up by Dr Dela Idowu, after she came forward as a living kidney donor for her brother who had kidney failure and needed a transplant.
After going through several tests Dela was told she was not compatible. But, during one of the most heartbreaking moments of her life, she decided to use her experience to raise awareness of living kidney donation in her community.
The need for a kidney transplant and the shortage of organ donors affects people of all ethnic backgrounds.
More organ donors are needed from the black community where there are over 700 African Caribbean people with end stage kidney failure on the transplant waiting list in the UK. This figure is set to raise due to Covid 19.
Gift of Living Donation (GOLD) produced an educational film to provide information and education about living kidney donation to black kidney patients. It’s a creative resource used by patients to start the conversation with family and friends about their need for a kidney donor and the possibility of finding a family member or friend willing to donate.
More Than a Match a book written by Dela, narrates her journey of living donation will help potential donors learn more about the living donor process and navigate their own journey. Both resources are used by renal staff within a clinical environment.
Who we work with
Gift of Living Foundation is proud to work with several organisations committed as we are to transforming the lives of Black kidney patients through living kidney donation.
Collaborative partnerships
- London Kidney Network (LKN)
- Kings College Hospital Trust
- Imperial Healthcare Trust
- Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
- Kidney Care UK
- Kidney Patient Association
We are grateful for the support of the NHS Blood and Transport Community Investment Scheme.
