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'It’s like I’ve known my kidney donor forever'

Stephen Topping Kidney donor Stephen Topping, who is wearing a mint green polo shirt, and recipient Amy Smith, who has blonde hair and is wearing a brown cardigan. She also had black-rimmed glassesStephen Topping
Kidney donor Stephen Topping and recipient Amy Smith

A man who was inspired by his granddaughter to donate a kidney to a stranger has described meeting his recipient one year on as "surreal".

Stephen Topping, from Lurgan, decided to donate an organ after his granddaughter experienced kidney problems and he became aware she may need a transplant in the future.

“I thought if my granddaughter ever needed one – more than likely it might have to be from a stranger – so I thought: 'Why can’t I do it for somebody else?'"

Twelve months on from getting a new kidney, Amy Smith, from south-west England travelled to Lurgan to meet Stephen and his family in person for the first time.

Amy Smith Amy Smith is looking at the camera from a hospital bed. She is smiling while propped up in a hospital bed. To her left and right, hospital machines.Amy Smith
"I’ve gone back to being me rather than me and my machine," says Amy

Amy said it was an emotional meeting.

“I did get a bit wobbly with my husband walking through departures in the airport, but it’s like I’ve known Stephen forever," she told BBC News NI.

"It’s just really nice to have met my donor. It’s really nice that we can meet and stay in contact and become one big happy family."

Amy said she hoped the two families would stay in touch.

“I’ve gone back to being me rather than me and my machine," she added.

“You only need one kidney to be able to live a normal life and you could save so many people’s lives by just donating that one kidney.”

'My granda did a really nice thing'

The Toppings held a party at the weekend to celebrate meeting Amy in person and Stephen's granddaughter Georgia was there.

She has not needed a transplant so far but is appreciative of what her grandad has done.

“What my granda has done is a really nice thing to do and that he [did] it because of what’s happened to me – it’s really nice," Georgia said.

“It was surreal hearing Amy the first time I spoke to her on the phone and it was so surreal meeting her in person. It just makes it all worthwhile,” added Stephen.

Amy Smith Stephen Topping, his granddaughter Georgia Lyness and donor recipient Amy SmithAmy Smith
Stephen's granddaughter Georgia Lyness took part in the celebrations

Daithí’s law was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2023 so that most adults in Northern Ireland are now considered potential organ donors after death unless they opt out.

The law only applies to people aged 18 and over.

It is also possible - as in Stephen’s case - to be a living donor.

The most common type is kidney donation, when one organ is removed from a healthy individual and transplanted into someone else.

It is not always the case that a family member is a suitable donor match and kidneys may also be donated by someone who is not genetically related to the recipient.

In many cases that donor can be a stranger, known as an altruistic donor.

How many people are registered organ donors?

More than half the population of Northern Ireland have opted in to become donors and recorded their wishes by signing the NHS Organ Donor Register.

In total 1,053,541 people had signed up by May 2024.

With 55% of all residents saying yes, Northern Ireland has the highest percentage of willing donors of all UK regions.

The same register can also be used if you want to opt out of becoming an organ donor.

Not everyone will be automatically considered as a donor as there are several groups excluded from the scope of the legislation.

At the end of June this year, there were 166 patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Northern Ireland.

Of those, 85 were on a kidney transplant list.