Transplant ‘transformed lives’ for former MLA and son

Former Northern Ireland Assembly member Jo-Anne Dobson has said donating her kidney to her son Mark has “transformed their lives” just over one month on.

In their first television interview since the operations at Belfast City Hospital, the pair have shared their experiences.

Mark, who recently celebrated his 25th birthday, credited his mum with saving his life.

“I’m so glad it went well and grateful to my mum because she saved my life,” he told UTV.

Jo-Anne said she was “privileged” to have given her kidney to her son.

She said: “I’ve already seen the difference in Mark post-surgery - his colour, his attitude. It’s given him hope.”

Mark also felt a big difference very soon after the transplant.

“A couple of days later, I was walking about the ward. At home, I have more energy and I’m just trying to live as normal a life as possible,” he said.

Jo-Anne has been campaigning for the introduction of a so-called opt out scheme for organ donation and is still hopeful, despite the collapse of Stormont, that there will be a change in the law.

“The Prime Minister is consulting in England. It has happened in Wales, so I do believe it will happen here,” she said.

“For those people we met on our journey, those people who are still on dialysis, those waiting a long time for a transplant, it will give them hope that they too can have their lives transformed - and the lives of their families too.”