Geelong family “got their dad back” after Aaron Alsop’s kidney transplant

A Geelong man who used to spend hours on dialysis feels like a new man after a kidney transplant, thanks to a generous donor he will never know.

Aaron Alsop and his son Jack. Aaron, 47, says his life has turned around thanks to a kidney donor. Picture: Alan Barber

A Geelong family “got their dad back” after his kidney transplant, thanks to an anonymous donor and their family, who gifted the organ in their darkest hour.

At 13 Aaron Alsop, now 47, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, an inherited condition causing the kidneys to enlarge and eventually stop working.

Mr Alsop said he had fought to keep fit for as long as possible, playing cricket, football and running and walking.

But by 2020 Mr Alsop was a shadow of his former self – his kidneys functioned at just 20 per cent and he was having lengthy stints on dialysis. He had a nephrectomy, where one kidney was removed.

“It’s been a journey” he said.

“My kidney was so diseased, it weighed 4k, the normal range is around 200g.”

He was forced to stop most sports and spent four to five hours on dialysis three times a week for more than a year.

Mr Alsop said his sister-in-law was planning to donate her kidney but that fell through when doctors discovered she had a hole in her heart.

“When you’re on dialysis you’re eligible to have a transplant, so I always had my phone on, living in hope,” he said.

The call came through at 2am in the morning and the family immediately drove to the Royal Melbourne.

Post-transplant, Mr Alsop said his life changed overnight and he was incredibly grateful for the things he was previously unable to do – coaching footy, running and camping.

“My boys go their dad back,” he said.

This year he’ll take part in a 1500m run at the Australian Transplant Games.

“Now every morning I get up and I just thank the donor family especially, it’s such a selfless act,” he said.

“They have no idea who they’ve helped.”

There are about 1800 Australians on the organ waitlist and 14,000 more on dialysis for kidney failure.

In Australia, a donor’s family is always asked to support a donor’s decision before organ or tissue donation goes ahead.

DonateLife Victoria state medical director Dr Rohit D’Costa said data showed 80 per cent of families would consent to donation if their relative was a registered donor.

“We need more people to register and, just as importantly, have the conversation with their family,” Dr D’Costa said.”

Dr D’Costa said one organ donor could save the lives of up to seven people and change the lives of more through eye and tissue donation.

“Thanks to the generosity of a donor and that donor’s family, Aaron is now able to enjoy a healthy and active life with his wife and sons.”

“There is no greater gift than that.”

DonateLife Week runs from July 28 to August 4.

Originally published as Geelong family “got their dad back” after Aaron Alsop’s kidney transplant