Introduction to a Life-Saving Friendship
Two people who met under tragic circumstances have joined forces for a life-saving kidney transplant. Tim Swinburn, from Melksham in Wiltshire, met Clare Brixey, from Standerwick in Somerset, in 2004 when he had to knock on her door to explain that her 20-year-old son Ashley had died in a car accident.
The Journey to Transplant
By this time, Ms Brixey was already suffering from kidney failure and was dependent on dialysis. The couple stayed in touch and when Mr Swinburn found out her previous transplant had failed, he offered her his kidney. “To me, giving the gift of life is just a human thing,” he said. “Anyone with a heart would give something to keep someone else alive.”
The Successful Transplant
The successful transplant took four hours at Southmead Hospital in Bristol in October. Both parties have recovered well since Mr Swinburn returned to work and Ms Brixey went horse riding for the first time in years. Both are currently planning fundraisers for transplant-related charities.
A Lasting Bond
Ms Brixey described Mr Swinburn as a “man in a million” after the transplant. After retiring from Wiltshire Police in 2007, he is now a laborer at the Salvation Army’s Swindon Booth House. She said: "He was my family liaison officer; the person who knocked on my door to tell me my son had died in a road accident." “He was such a compassionate man and very easy to talk to and supportive of our family.”
A Friendship That Stood the Test of Time
“We just seemed to fit together and have been friends for 21 years. He was here to support me and I was there to support him. When my first kidney transplant started to fail, he told me, ‘You’re going to get one from me and I won’t take no for an answer.’" Mr Swinburn added: "Clare is one of those special people, we have always joked over the years that we are like siblings." "She’s a great friend. Throughout my life, I’ve had my ups and downs and she’s been there for me and vice versa." "[When I offered the transplant] She kept saying “Are you sure?” even though I knew she would do the same for me. There was no doubt in my mind. Knowing she’s back out there on her horse, seeing her out there with her granddaughter and her daughter, that’s why I did it."
