A TRANSPLANT FOR LOVE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2011 :: RMTnews 31 RMT Neasden branch chair Jennifer Rose and Gareth Wilson have been together for about ten years. They met during training to be station assistants for London Underground at Ashfield house, LU’s training centre, in 2001. They both joined RMT immediately when a representative of the union came to talk to them about the importance and benefits of being a member of a fighting union. Today they are both train operators at Neasden on the Metropolitan Line and Jennifer has been the depot’s RMT rep for around five years. About three years ago Gareth was sent to see specialists at the Luton and Dunstable hospital to have a check up on his kidney function. Gareth was born with blockages between his kidneys and bladder which caused large amounts of damage to his kidneys as a baby. At four weeks old he underwent lifesaving surgery to remove the blockages. Unfortunately the damage was done and he has had to live with severely reduced kidney function for most of his life with the equivalent of only one kidney working. From the day Jennifer and Gareth went to his first appointment their lives changed, with regular six weekly check- ups and lots of dietary restrictions to adhere to in order to preserve the kidney function Gareth had left. Jennifer says that it was November 2009 when Gareth was given the devastating news that he had entered end-stage renal failure. “I knew there and then that if I could help him then I would,” she says. She expressed her wishes to be tested to see if she was a compatible match for donation to Gareth when they went to see the transplant co-ordination nurse at the Lister hospital in Stevenage. Shortly after that Jennifer underwent initial testing as did Gareth’s mum, sister and aunt. “In July I underwent further testing and at the very beginning of August we were both given the fantastic news that I was a compatible match and the operation had been scheduled for August 2010. “We had one last hurdle, to see an independent assessor to ensure that I was donating my kidney of my own free will and for the love of my partner and nothing untoward was going on. “Our friends were fantastic helping to supply us with pictures of the two of us together and the independent assessor was great, giving us the green light,” she says. On the big day everything went well with Jennifer going down to theatre at 8am and returning at 2pm and Gareth returning from theatre at about 7pm. They were both told that the transplant had been a complete success and Gareth continues to make a good recovery and his is due to return to work very soon. Jennifer also made a good recovery and she was back representing members at an important meeting regarding the displacement of drivers from Neasden depot to Harrow depot only 14 days after the operation! And she has continued to do so during this important transitional phase in their careers with London Underground. “It has been great to have the support of all our brothers and sisters in RMT during this difficult time in our lives,” she says. We are sure that members across the country would like to join RMT News in wishing them all the best for the future. A TRANSPLANT FOR LOVE RMT member Jennifer Rose gave her partner and fellow RMT member Gareth Wilson the ultimate love token by donating one of her kidneys to him