It would be no understatement to suggest that 2020 has already been a difficult year for many people with the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions placed upon life as we know it. However, one man is taking it all in his stride and using his experience of the last few years to remain philosophical in the face of adversity.
It was December 2017 and life was good for Kevin Ferdinand. He had just returned from a short break over in Barcelona where he met up with family members and he was looking forward to bedding-in at his new job as a data improvement officer at St Luke’s Hospital in Bradford. But then Kevin – normally fit and well – began to feel unwell.
“It was so sudden,” says Kevin, who was 38 at the time. “I had breathlessness, a loss of appetite and was so tired.
“I thought it was simply a case of just flu or something so continued forcing myself into work, even as things got continually worse.”
Kevin’s doctor was likeminded, suggesting it was possibly a virus or bug that was going around and prescribed antibiotics.
However, as the days turned into weeks, things began to get worse . Kevin said: “It got to the point where I couldn’t get out of bed, get dressed; the things you take for granted. I couldn’t even eat a bowl of Rice Krispies or a bowl of soup.
“It was during another visit to the GP when it was noticed that my eyes were turning yellow, indicating something was wrong with my kidneys.
“The doctor referred me straightaway to Bradford Royal Infirmary. I got a taxi immediately there from the GP’s. There wasn’t even time to go home.”
Following various tests on arrival, Kevin was diagnosed with pneumonia and a bad chest infection. But, when the blood tests came back after nearly five hours, they indicated he had major organ failure.
“My kidneys and liver were shutting down and my heart was damaged – with only 7 per cent of it working. Things were quickly deteriorating and I had to ring my parents down in Luton.
“I was rushed into intensive care and put on to a lot of drips. Doctors told me and my parents that I would be lucky to make it through the night.”
Yet Kevin continued to confound the odds and not only survived the night but then, days later, underwent a cross-Pennine ambulance trip to a specialist heart unit at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.
Speaking of his thoughts and feelings at the time, Kevin says: “My daughter, Lacie-Rose, was two at the time – I was worried but tried to keep positive. Throughout the journey I wanted to stay alive for my loved ones.”
Kevin remained in the intensive care unit at Wythenshawe for four months as medics tried to stabilise his heart but, sadly, as it had failed on both sides, the only option left was a transplant. However, due to the damage caused by pneumonia, a chest infection and a collapsed lung, Kevin had a further wait until he was clinically stable before he could proceed onto the transplant waiting list.
This was then followed by more waiting and the understandable anxiety of not knowing if a heart that matched Kevin’s build, age and blood group would become available.
Another factor was Kevin’s Black, Asian, background. “Unfortunately, says Kevin, “Some BAME groups don’t believe in donation so the pool is pretty small. There’s a real need for people to establish the facts about organ donation and educate themselves on what it means.”
Kevin’s wait continued until late one evening in early April 2018 he received the news that there was a matching heart.
“It was overwhelming when I got the news: very emotional and very frightening. You don’t know if you’re going to make it through or not”, he said.
“I got the news about 11pm and went down to theatre at 3am the following day. “Here, Kevin underwent a staggering 19-hour operation and, following the procedure, was kept asleep for nine days. Amazingly, within half an hour of waking up, Kevin was sat up in chair and talking. He was discharged at the start of May 2018 and back in work in August that year.
Following his transplant, Kevin is back to playing a hands-on dad with Lacie-Rose, now aged four. I have got to be a father again in the sense of playing an active role with Lacie-Rose, as soon as I could I gave a big hug.” Looking back at his rollercoaster of an experience, Kevin says: “When I was in hospital, it gave me a lot of time to think about my life and the lives of others. “No-one likes to talk about these issues. I think it’s very important that people have that conversation with their family about organ donation, unfortunately death is a part of life. If you donate your organs you will be saving someone’s life – giving the gift of life.” Kevin, who must take life-long immune suppressants to stop his body rejecting his heart, is an organ donation ambassador for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where he shares his story and educates others about the importance of organ donation.
It’s important you not only register your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, but share it with your family or closest friends too, to give them the certainty to support your decision at a difficult time.
Visit organdonation.nhs.uk to register your decision and find out more.
