Cim Bartlett - Living Donor Recipient

It seemed unreal. I saw Jonas, my not-so-little brother being wheeled into the operation theatre in St George’s hospital in London for major surgery. Can he live a normal life afterwards? Will he even survive? I was afraid; it seemed so unfair – he wasn’t even ill. He didn’t need surgery, I did. I needed a kidney transplant and Jonas was giving me one of his. It was December 2004 and a new life for me was about to begin.

Hi, my name is Cim Bartlett I’m 46, Swedish, I live in England, and today I’m completely fine. In fact, thanks to Jonas, I’m so well I’m going on an adventure odyssey to the Antarctic in March 2008. Looking back to July 2004, this would have been unthinkable, because back then, I wasn’t so well: I could barely stand for longer than two minutes, I had to rest on the way upstairs to bed. I had end-stage renal failure, my kidneys were dying and I barely had the will to keep living.

I want to show there is hope; there is a future, and I want to inspire others to be living kidney donors

Jonas’ great act of generosity changed all that; both he and I can live life to the full. Unfortunately, thousands of people in the UK and Sweden are living on a waiting list for a kidney, hoping for a phone call. In reality, they are waiting to hear that someone has died – perhaps in a car crash. Maybe they’ll be waiting for years. I want to change that, I want to show there is hope; there is a future, and I want to inspire others to be living kidney donors. And with your help, I know I can.

I’m about to do the impossible. I’d like you to help me and let’s see how many other people we can inspire to do something impossible too.

In March 2008, I’m going on an expedition to Antarctica with my husband Jerry and a bunch of like-minded individuals. Four years ago that would have been unthinkable, impossible – a dream. I had kidney disease and was on dialysis. Thanks to the generosity and courage of my brother Jonas Skyttmo, who donated one of his kidneys to me, I can now live life to the full.

By going on this Antarctic Odyssey, I want to show what can be done after a kidney transplant, and I want to inspire other people to do what Jonas did. We are raising money for Transplants in Mind and raising awareness for National Transplant Week 2008; especially for live kidney donation. My brother’s gift is so precious; this is my way of giving something back.

You can contribute by sponsoring me and spreading the word. Follow us on our Odyssey blog or visit Just Giving

It’s great being able to do something that would have once been impossible, like going ice climbing on Antarctica. For me, it’s such a freedom to be hundreds and hundreds of miles from a hospital. Through this website and blog you can contribute to this adventure odyssey with me. You can sponsor us and you can spread the word. Come on; let’s see how much freedom we can create so that others can live life to the full.

Cim Bartlett. Woking, England. October 2007.