Ali Dawson

Four years ago I donated a kidney to my former colleague, Sonia Leonardo. The whole experience has been life enriching beyond anything I could ever describe. Of all the things I’ve ever done in my life this has definitely been the best and happiest for me. I definitely recommend organ donation. 

Sonia trained me when I was a student at King’s College Hospital, studying Diagnostic Radiography. She was born with polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder in which abnormal cysts develop and grow in the kidneys. The condition, which is also suffered by her twin sister Susana, gradually got worse until her kidney function reduced to just six per cent. 

Following the transplant, Sonia is now free of dialysis. It’s such a huge change in her lifestyle, having endured five sessions of dialysis daily. We are in touch every day and it feels as though I have gained the sister I always wanted.

I love campaigning for organ donation and, at King’s, I am involved with events designed to raise awareness. I am also part of the peer group, which means I can be contacted by potential donors who have questions and I can offer support. I’m also an official organ donation ambassador for NHS Blood & Transplant and I attend events all over the UK to help promote organ donation. 

I want to dispel misconceptions about organ donation and for more people to see living donors as examples – just like me. I can do everything I did before the transplant and I live my life to the full.

You can follow Ali on Twitter > @AliDawson_