Jonah Lomu

I was saddened to hear the Rugby World lost a legend in the form of Jonah Lomu yesterday. His untimely death aged 40 years-old was due to a cardiac arrest and it is suspected but not confirmed to be linked to his longstanding kidney problems. He had Nephrotic syndrome and although he received a kidney transplant in 2004 it failed in 2011 (whilst he was competing in the world cup) and he has been on dialysis and the transplant waiting list ever since. He had spent 6 hours a day 3 days a week for the last 4 years receiving dialysis. Being allocated a kidney depends on a variety of factors such as: blood and tissue type which are closer if the ethnicity of the donor and the recipient are closer - hence why family members often donate kidneys to blood relatives. Sadly the need is greater amongst black, asian and other minority ethnicities (BAME) for kidneys, because those in the BAME community are more susceptible to illnesses for example: hypertension, diabetes and some forms of hepatitis that can cause irreversible kidney damage. But even more sadly the donation rate is so much less amongst such communities with only 5% of deceased donors being from a BAME community and only 33% of those who consent to donate are from a BAME community compared to 61% of individuals being of white ethnicity. 30% of patients on the active kidney transplant waiting list at the end of March 2013 were from the BAME community, yet only 23% of patients who received a transplant that year were from those communities and frustratingly those from BAME communities wait a year longer than those who aren't. Hence why Jonah may have been waiting 4 years. Last year there were 1,212 deceased donors in the UK. Only 56 of them were from BAME communities. Jonah told the Daily Mail in August he wanted to see his two young children to the age of 21 years of age so he would've been 55 years-old, especially because his Dad died young. Heartbreakingly this didn't happen. Although it is not certain his death was linked to his need for a kidney transplant it is still not a good way to spend 4 years being dependent on time consuming, unpleasant dialysis to remain alive. This is why I want organ and tissue donation to become automatic in the UK once you turn 18 years of age - under the Soft Opt Out system that Wales is introducing in 11 days. Thank you for signing, and all your valuable support. Please keep sharing as every signature is as important as the last for getting us nearer out next target of 2500! Kindest regards Lucy Ryan