bbc programme

[chessnut]

did anyone see the bbc's programmes on the Transplant List? i just watched the first one, available for 6 more days at http://bbc.in/1NrJJLz I'll see the second tomorrow. (good dialysis viewing)

there was a lot about kidney transplants, of different kinds. i thought it was interesting, and moving. The fridge full of drinks seems a great way to celebrate!

hopefully a lot of people have seen it.

[AmandaClare]

I've seen these. A word of warning that the second programme is more difficult to watch than the first. But it really brought the message home about the shortage of organs.

They were given a disappointingly low profile here in England, shown quite late. Perhaps they thought we wouldn't cope with the accents

[chrisb]

There is also another kidney transplant prog to look out for on the Beeb called Transplant and Trafficking (south west region) which tells the story of one of our regular newsreaders -Sabet Chowdry - who donated a kidney to his mother because she would have died before getting the call due to the lack of donors from the Asian population.

[chessnut]

I've seen these. A word of warning that the second programme is more difficult to watch than the first. But it really brought the message home about the shortage of organs.

I've now watched the second programme (http://bbc.in/1UtIwbC), and I see what you mean! They dealt with lung and heart patients, and these patients do have a bad time waiting. I found the scene with a young woman looking at her bag packed to take to her transplant, and wondering if she would get to use it, quite poignant ... The part where two people were called in to potentially get a lung transplant, one as backup, and in the end neither got it, captured the emotional roller coaster well. I believe, I think I got the information from this forum itself, that people often only get their kidney on a second or even third call.

I learnt a few things. I hadn't known (or had forgotten - it's a while since I read a book on this) that long-term dialysis leads to calcification of the veins, making them hard to work with for the transplant. This was with a patient who had been 10 years or more on dialysis.

They were given a disappointingly low profile here in England, shown quite late. Perhaps they thought we wouldn't cope with the accents

Yes, I only caught them because I was recording something else, and spotted it in the tv guide on at around 2am!

A shame few people will see them, as I thought they did a good job of advertising the need and positive effects of organ donation.

(Actually, part of me thinks they paint too rosy a picture, for the kidney recipients, of an immediate return 'to normal'. There's a severe drugs regimen, as I understand it, and problems can still occur. But I guess that kind of realism won't help the advertising.)

[rheaybou]

The whole series is a credit to BBC Scotland, it is a difficult watch and I have had to force myself to sit through them. It's harder than watching those DIY SOS ones!

It may have been an idea for the BBC to show them during transplant week to raise additional awareness, but at least they were shown and if they just help one person then it was worth it.

The fridge of sweet drinks didn't sit well with me, but that is just my opinion and I didn't spend as long on dialysis as he had.....but I had also been just as thirsty and will never get bored of water.

[chessnut]

but I had also been just as thirsty and will never get bored of water.

yes, quite. my family often asks why I don't take something more tasty, and it's hard to explain what a treat my two small glasses of water in the day are! Anything sweet, even a cordial, just isn't the same.

[Tibbs]

I watched the first one and as soon as there was a live donor on screen, I was in bits. I'm getting a bit teary now, just thinking about it.

I thought it was a fabulous programme - hopefully it will get repeated at a more civilised hour. I'll probably pop a link to it on my various social media in a hope to get viewer numbers up a touch!

[chessnut]

There is also another kidney transplant prog to look out for on the Beeb called Transplant and Trafficking (south west region) which tells the story of one of our regular newsreaders -Sabet Chowdry - who donated a kidney to his mother because she would have died before getting the call due to the lack of donors from the Asian population.

Thanks for the pointer. I've now seen this one (it's at http://bbc.in/1Sl1jr3). A good, positive programme on the benefits of live donation.

When I first heard this statistic on the differing waiting times for different ethnicities I found it quite shocking. I had always naively assumed we were "all the same under the skin". But it seems tissue type separates organs of different ethnic groups, far beyond the normal variation for a single group.

[Chris Wright]

I watched the first one and as soon as there was a live donor on screen, I was in bits. I'm getting a bit teary now, just thinking about it.

Yep, absolutely with you on that!!!!

C

[jamiesav]

I thought it was a great programme!!

I actually had my transplant at the Glasgow Western, the hospital in the show, just over a year ago. It was really bizarre seeing the all surgeons and nursing staff again in the environment.

I certainty found parts of it quite emotional and really hard to watch as well. Really hits home!