A woman of 85 has become the oldest person in the UK to donate a kidney while still alive — saying she did not need two of the organs, just to ‘sit at home knitting’. She went under the knife to give her ‘spare’ to a stranger after reading about the desperate shortage of donor organs.

The pensioner approached the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire and asked if she was healthy enough to give her kidney in an ‘altruistic’ donation.

She said, “I had two kidneys, but I knew I could survive perfectly well with just one. Why do I need two kidneys to sit at home knitting and watching television? So I thought, why not give one away to someone who needs one while I am alive, rather than waiting until after death to donate my organs.”

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After tests deemed her kidney to be in good shape, and that she was strong enough to undergo the operation, it was performed successfully at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. The woman, who has since turned 86 and wants to remain anonymous, has made a good recovery. By donating at her age, she hopes to encourage others to give a kidney to a stranger.

Fiona Biggins, transplant recipient coordinator at the Royal Preston Hospital, said that there was no upper age limit for kidney donation. She said, “This lady has been incredibly kind by donating her kidney at the age of 85 to a complete stranger, and she is a real inspiration. The fact she wanted to remain anonymous after making the donation shows how selfless she is and how she made the donation for purely altruistic reasons.”