One dad won't be expecting a present from his son this Father's Day having already received a kidney from him.

Jerry Sherriff, of Broadstairs, had the life-saving transplant at Guy's Hospital last year after his son Matt, 48, offered to donate his kidney.

Despite the pair having incompatible blood groups, teams at the hospital ensured the transplant was a success by overcoming potential rejection of the organ.

The 75-year-old, who also has a daughter, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, started to experience problems with his kidneys in 2009.

Doctors discovered that they were only functioning at 30% and by 2016 this declined to just 9%.

The cause of the problem was not known.

Mr Sherriff said: "Around five years ago, I was told I would eventually need to have dialysis or a transplant.

"Matt came forward and insisted on being my donor.

"I was reluctant to put him through the process but he insisted and I gratefully accepted his offer.

"Without him, it would have taken years to get one on the waiting list and I would have needed to have dialysis.

"Because of my age there was also a risk that I may not have been fit enough to have a transplant in a few years time."

The pair had their operations on the same day in March last year and were in beds next to eachother on the ward.

Mr Sherriff added: "Immediately afterwards my new kidney was functioning at 80%.

"My family were amazed to see how much better I looked.
"Since then I've been less tired and I'm able to play golf and do gardening again.
"I am so grateful to Matt and proud of what he has done for me."

Matt, who lives in Wiltshire, said the transplant was a chance to pay his dad back for the things he did for him as a child.

The father-of-two said: "I has a really nice childhood and had opportunities growing up, such as memorable family holidays, which my peers didn't have.

"The experience has brought us and the whole family even closer as it's been a major thing for everybody.

"We are spending Father's Day together this year, which will feel really special considering this is the first one we have spent together since the transplant."

Matt is encouraging others to donate.

"I think there is a misunderstanding that you have to be a perfect match," he said.

"There are also misconceptions that the donor's quality of life with one kidney.

"Some people think I need dialysis and others think I can’t drink alcohol but that’s not the case and you’d never know I only had one kidney by looking at me.

"Now I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and living a completely normal life.

"We received an unbelievable level of support from the kidney team and ward staff at Guy’s – the care was top notch."

Geoff Koffman, renal transplant surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ who carried out Jerry’s transplant, said: “Incompatibility affects 30% of people on the waiting list, making it harder for them to have transplants.

“At Guy’s and St Thomas’ we are looking at a number of techniques to overcome the problem of incompatibility so that more people can receive life-saving kidney transplants.

"It’s wonderful to see patients like Jerry, who may have been waiting a long time for a kidney, have their lives transformed by a transplant thanks to the pioneering techniques we are using.
"We are always in awe of the generous donors who make this remarkable sacrifice."