7:00pm Tuesday 6th February 2007
By Ceri Rees
A POOLE man who received a life-saving kidney transplant at a Bristol Hospital has repaid the surgeons who gave him a second chance.
Three years ago Daniel Jewell, who is 21, was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, a scarring of the kidneys, which led to kidney failure.
Blood tests showed an abnormality and within 24 hours he was rushed to Dorset County Hospital.
He was told that he would require dialysis, then just days before the procedure was due to start, a kidney was found for him, which enabled the surgery to take place.
Since receiving his donated kidney he has been able to live a normal, healthy life, apart from a brief scare when his body showed signs of rejecting the kidney. A course of enzymes rectified the problem.
He is now working in the cheques department at Barclays House in Poole and this week travelled to Manchester to watch his beloved Manchester United.
Dan said: "Last summer I felt so much better. Before I felt tired and would fall asleep on the couch after work. Then the doctors said my blood tests indicated my body was showing signs of rejection but now I am getting back to what I was before the operation."
Dan's mother Cindy, said: "Dan felt indebted to the medical team at Southmead Hospital. He thought that the best way to say thanks was to raise funds for the Richard Bright Renal Unit.
"A close family friend Carol Wrobel, started it off by running the Great South Run in October and as we run our own heating business our suppliers G & B Plumbers in Poole also made a very generous donation. All our suppliers have been absolutely brilliant in making contributions."
Barclays House also matched £750 of funding.
Mrs Jewell added: "On Monday we took the £2,500 cheque in but we want to keep the ball rolling so we have kept some in reserve to share between Dorset County Hospital and Southmead, when we have amounted a larger sum."
Southmead's consultant surgeon David Mitchell received the cheque from the family, including Dan's dad Steve.
He said: "We are very grateful to Dan, his friends and his family for raising such a tremendous amount for the hospital."
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