Lauderdale athlete Bren Godfrey has a new lease on life after kidney transplant

With just two weeks left to live, Bren Godfrey was given the life-changing news that he would be the recipient of a kidney transplant. Now, he hopes more people will consider organ donation. HIS STORY >>

Cult Fitness gym owner Bren Godfrey who is an organ donor recipient at Lauderdale. Picture: Chris Kidd

Lauderdale powerlifter Bren Godfrey is making the most of his second chance after a successful kidney transplant.

Mr Godfrey’s life would have been cut short had he not received the transplant in late 2021, after he was diagnosed with kidney failure three years earlier.

While training for a 2018 powerlifting competition, the 38-year-old was at his peak, but he became increasingly run-down and breathless and that’s when his whole world turned upside down.

Cult Fitness gym owner Bren Godfrey who is an organ donor recipient at Lauderdale. Picture: Chris Kidd

He went in for a blood test on a Monday morning and was called back that same evening.

“They said you need to get into emergency, you have 5 per cent function left in your kidney,” Mr Godfrey said.

The following day, a port was put into his chest and his intensive haemodialysis treatment was started, where a machine acted as an artificial kidney to filter and clean his blood.

“I was doing it for five and a half hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” Mr Godfrey said.

He then had another surgery so he could do dialysis from home.

“I did that every night for about nine hours for close to two years.”

Mr Godfrey described it as an extremely difficult time in his life, mainly because he was looking after his 9-year-old son, Maddox, and his business, Cult Fitness, in Lauderdale.

“Mentally it was really tough. I had some really good support around me and hearing other people’s journeys helped as well, you just have to adapt and get it done,” he said.

Bren Godfrey. Picture: Supplied

Throughout the treatment, most people would lose six days of the week for dialysis and recovery, but Mr Godfrey still trained which helped him get through the tough days.

Eventually, the treatment didn’t have the same effect and Mr Godfrey had about two weeks left to live and not much left to give.

He then received a miracle phone call to receive a kidney in late 2021.

“It didn’t really hit me until I was on the table pretty much, I think about my donator today and I’m forever grateful,” Mr Godfrey said.

“Life. That’s as much as I could say, a second chance.”

Following the surgery, Mr Godfrey is back living his life with a new-found outlook, eternally thankful to his donor for giving him a second chance.

“I wouldn’t have been here,” he said.

“At the end of the day my son still has his dad, that’s a good reason why people should be donors, to have extra time with loved ones.”

Mr Godfrey now passionately advocates for organ and tissue donation and encourages donor registration.

DonateLife Tasmania’s Executive Officer Davin Hibberd said Mr Godfrey’s organ transplant “is a remarkable story,” and a huge inspiration.

Mr Hibberd said Tasmania was leading the country in 2022 with donation outcomes, with a 157 per cent increase in donation and a 171 per cent increase in the number of people who received a life-changing transplant in Tasmania.

“Thanks to Tasmanian donor families, we want to acknowledge their incredible generosity,” he said.

Mr Hibberd said he hoped the community would be inspired to register at donatelife.gov.au.