A WALKER from Sampford Moor is planning a 200-mile trek in aid of kidney research after his daughter's kidney transplant.

Steve Windsor is to follow in famous fell walker Alfred Wainwright's footsteps across Yorkshire and the Lake District after daughter Helen, 18 was donated a kidney by brother Paul to save her life.

In late March 2008, following a routine visit to her doctor, the family was confronted with the devastating news that Helen was suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease.

The only course of treatment was a kidney transplant, and, following a series of tests on close family members, Paul, 25, was found to be the best match.

With Helen's health deteriorating rapidly her transplant went ahead at Southmead Hospital, Bristol on July 3 last year.

  

Steve, whose target is to raise £1,500, told the WWN: "The diagnosis came completely out of the blue as Helen had never shown any real signs of ill health.

"The trauma of Helen's illness has been a life changing experience to us all.  It is not until you are personally involved in an illness of such gravity that you come to realise that you are not alone and a number of people's lives are affected in a similar way.

"Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of hospital consultants, surgeons, nursing staff and post operation support staff Helen and Paul are now doing well and on the road to recovery.

 "As a token of my gratitude to the medical profession and to raise awareness of kidney disease, I wanted to undertake a challenging but achievable goal, hence the walk."

Praising doctors and staff at the Kidney Unit, Wonford Hospital, Exeter, he said Helen received "wonderful" pre- and post- op care and support from the team.

He said: "The money raised will be put forward to the development and improvement of the renal day case area which will benefit many renal patients for years to come."

He also paid tribute to staff at Bristol Area Kidney Patients Association's Hales House, Southmead where the Windsor family stayed while Helen was having her kidney transplant.

He added: "Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to pay special tributes to Helen and Paul.

"Throughout a lengthy period of illness Helen maintained her sense of humour and kept a smile on her face, even through the darkest days.

"No words can describe the immense admiration and respect that my wife, Caraline, and I have for our son Paul who unselfishly donated one of his kidneys in order to save his sister's life."

Steve's walk will start at St Bees Head, Cumbria on the west coast of England on Saturday, May 22 and finish 15 days later at Robin Hood's Bay on the east coast on Saturday, June 5.