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| Nurse meets kidney swap recipient | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A nurse from Cornwall who donated one of her kidneys to a stranger has met the recipient for the first time. | A nurse from Cornwall who donated one of her kidneys to a stranger has met the recipient for the first time. |
| Barbara Ryder, 59, is one of only four people in the UK to have made an altruistic kidney donation. | Barbara Ryder, 59, is one of only four people in the UK to have made an altruistic kidney donation. |
| The Launceston nurse who works at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth gave her organ to 68-year-old Andy Loudon, a retired carpenter from Bedfordshire. | The Launceston nurse who works at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth gave her organ to 68-year-old Andy Loudon, a retired carpenter from Bedfordshire. |
| She said: "The kidney was literally a spare part and I thought good, at last I can do something physically useful." | She said: "The kidney was literally a spare part and I thought good, at last I can do something physically useful." |
| "What prompted me to donate my kidney was that I heard something on the radio about dialysis and how ghastly it was," she said. | "What prompted me to donate my kidney was that I heard something on the radio about dialysis and how ghastly it was," she said. |
| Ms Ryder then spoke to her living donor coordinator at the hospital who said it would be possible. | Ms Ryder then spoke to her living donor coordinator at the hospital who said it would be possible. |
| 'Never met' | |
| Until September 2006 living donors were only allowed to give kidneys to those genetically linked, or related such as by marriage. | Until September 2006 living donors were only allowed to give kidneys to those genetically linked, or related such as by marriage. |
| The operations were made possible by the Human Tissue Act legislation. | The operations were made possible by the Human Tissue Act legislation. |
| Giving your kidney altruistically is when you choose to give it to someone you have never met. | Giving your kidney altruistically is when you choose to give it to someone you have never met. |
| Paired donation is where a donor and recipient whose blood groups or tissue types are incompatible are paired with another donor and recipient in the same situation. | Paired donation is where a donor and recipient whose blood groups or tissue types are incompatible are paired with another donor and recipient in the same situation. |
| Ms Ryder went in for the operation on 18 September this year, but was eager to get home to look after her menagerie of rescue cats and dogs. | Ms Ryder went in for the operation on 18 September this year, but was eager to get home to look after her menagerie of rescue cats and dogs. |
| Although it takes 10 days for the wound to knit together she was back walking her pet dogs after a week. | Although it takes 10 days for the wound to knit together she was back walking her pet dogs after a week. |
| Describing how she felt Ms Ryder said: "The feeling you get is better than the feeling you get at Christmas. It's just the joy of giving. " | Describing how she felt Ms Ryder said: "The feeling you get is better than the feeling you get at Christmas. It's just the joy of giving. " |
| Before Barbara Ryder's donation Mr Loudon underwent dialysis three times a week which limited what he could do. | Before Barbara Ryder's donation Mr Loudon underwent dialysis three times a week which limited what he could do. |
| Barbara Ryder is a nurse at Derriford Hospital | Barbara Ryder is a nurse at Derriford Hospital |
| He had his operation on the same day at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. | He had his operation on the same day at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. |
| The new kidney now allows him to travel and visit his daughter in Scotland, something he has not been able to do before. | The new kidney now allows him to travel and visit his daughter in Scotland, something he has not been able to do before. |
| Mr Loudon said: "The fact that the organ came from a living donor has made a big difference. The kidney worked straight away. | Mr Loudon said: "The fact that the organ came from a living donor has made a big difference. The kidney worked straight away. |
| "I feel honoured and it restores my faith in human nature. It's difficult to put into words. | "I feel honoured and it restores my faith in human nature. It's difficult to put into words. |
| Mr Loudon's wife Hilary, 62, wrote a letter to Ms Ryder thanking her for what she had done. | Mr Loudon's wife Hilary, 62, wrote a letter to Ms Ryder thanking her for what she had done. |
| Ms Ryder said about the letter: "They told me how they are now able to visit their family in Scotland and they couldn't before because of the dialysis. | Ms Ryder said about the letter: "They told me how they are now able to visit their family in Scotland and they couldn't before because of the dialysis. |
| "They said they would never forget me." | "They said they would never forget me." |
| Meeting for the first time the couple hugged each other and Mr Loudon said: "It's the best Christmas present I could ever have." | Meeting for the first time the couple hugged each other and Mr Loudon said: "It's the best Christmas present I could ever have." |