Dad gave me a kidney so I can have my dream wedding

Kieran Innes was only 25 years old when he received a diagnosis of kidney failure and said he would need dialysis three times a week.

He was devastated and fears that he will hide plans from a dream wedding and a honeymoon with the fiancée Lara Russell.

Two years later, his future was transformed thanks to his kidney donor – his 63 -year -old father Brian.

“It made our obligation 100%, I feel forever as I owe him,” said Kieran. “All I can do now is because of him and I have no worries.”

The couple should make the knot in Uphall, West Lothian, next month before leaving for “minimoon” in New York, followed by a honeymoon in Italy in October.

“Things would be very different if I had always been in dialysis,” said the 27 -year -old pizza chief.

“We planned marriage anyway, but things would have been very different if I had always been in dialysis and the honeymoon would have been a bit of a disaster to plan.

“You can do it, but that involves the NHS dialysis organization in another country, which is incredible that they can do it, but would have been very difficult.”

Kieran started to feel very sick when he was on a family vacation in Cullen, Moray, in July 2022.

At St John’s Hospital in Livingston the next day, he was told that his blood pressure was “through the roof”.

Six weeks later, the doctors said his kidneys failed. He was equipped with a stent in his chest and was put into dialysis.

Kieran “absolutely hated” having the stent. It made the shower difficult because it was not to get wet and he feared catching her on his clothes and sheets.

He was put on the waiting list for a kidney but was warned that it could take a long time.

Her fiancée, Lara, 29, therefore asked their two families a live kidney donation.

“It was something that was petrified, I don’t know how to approach this kind of thing, but I had a lot of help from my fiancée, she was really forward to help me ask,” Kieran said.

Eight people showed up to offer their kidney, including Lara’s father and Kieran’s brother and sister.

However, Kieran’s father was the one the hospital chose to go ahead with the operation in March 2024.

Brian, who lives in Prestonpans at East Lothian, told BBC Scotland News how he was “anxious and nervous” at the idea of ​​the operation.

The father of seven said: “They review the scenarios, they must be truthful, as for any operation, and they said there was a risk of death and I thought of my other six children.

“However, the renal transplants are quite routine now and even if it was still in mind, I was not so anxious on this subject and once I made the decision, I got involved.”

Brian had had trouble seeing how much his son suffered from dialysis and wanted to do something to change the situation.

He added: “He was delighted when I told him that I would give him a kidney and I thought it was wonderful that I do it for him.”

When Brian woke up after the operation, he felt “relieved” and immediately asked if his son was fine.

“Kieran’s life is back to normal now and is back working,” said Brian.

“He couldn’t go directly to New York after marriage [without the transplant].

“It has definitely brought us closer. He always hugs me now and he organized a trip so that we would go together this year in you.

“I’m proud of what I did. I’m sure anyone would do that for their children.”

Brian, who worked as a cameraman for the BBC Scotland for more than 40 years, quickly rebounded from the operation.

He was back to work on light tasks after eight weeks and flew to cover the European football championships in Germany four weeks later in June 2024.

The kidney is expected to last about 25 years, which means that Kieran will need about three transplants during his lifetime.

So what will Brian think of this Fathers Day?

“Obviously, I have seven children, so you have to think about it all, but I have a weakness for Kieran and what I did for him,” he said.

Kieran said: “I feel so happy now, I owe my father my life. I am able to get married without stress now and make my dream wedding because of him and spend time with my brothers and sisters and my fiancées as well as to travel and then settle for children.”

For more information and support on organ transplants, visit BBC Action Line.