Pride of Australia: Dad’s debt of gratitude to six-way paired kidney exchange doctors

JUST last year Grant Lenan was so sick he couldn’t take son Jack on a fishing trip. But finally, Jack has his dad back - thanks to 200 doctors who performed a historic six-way paired kidney exchange.

Grant Lenan and son Jack with Amanda Robertson (Royal Melbourne), Orla Maney (Monash) and Frank Ierino (Austin). Picture: IAN CURRIE

JUST last year Grant Lenan was so sick he couldn’t go away with his son Jack on a fishing trip.

Kidney disease robbed them of time together, with Mr Lenan hooked up to a dialysis machine to filter his blood every four hours.

But finally, after years of illness, Jack has got his dad back after 200 dedicated medical staff performed an Australian first six-way paired kidney exchange that changed their lives and those of five others.

To say thank you, the pair are nominating the staff who saved Mr Lenan’s life for a Pride of Australia Medal.

“He was always sore, often sick, and that’s pretty hard to deal with when it’s your dad,” Jack, 14, said.

“When he got a new kidney he was way more active, he could play basketball with me, go fishing. It means a lot.”

For Mr Lenan, it’s not just the dedication of medical staff who performed 12 simultaneous life-changing operations that he is thankful for.

It’s the hours they commit every day to give their patients the best quality of life.

“I’ve been hospitalised 40 times, roughly,” Mr Lenan, 52, said.

“I could name doctors that put in 12, 14 hours every day and they’re supposed to be home at 5pm and they come in to see you at 8pm.”

“There’s no 9-5 for doctors, they put in massive hours, seriously.”

He has been in awe of the medics since his first kidney transplant in 1999.

The mass kidney swap in May last year made global headlines and gave six Victorians the gift of more time.

But the impact of the work by staff at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne Private, the Austin Hospital and Monash Medical Centre went beyond those six people.

For a son, it meant having a father — someone to go to the footy with, or try to catch fish off St Kilda pier with on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

“I want to thank them,” Jack said. “For what they’ve done, and for how they’ve changed our lives.”

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Nominate deserving unsung heroes for a Pride of Australia award at heraldsun.com.au/prideofaustralia

Twitter: @prideofoz