Brother donates kidney to save elder sibling’s life
I’m glad I was able to do it for my brother and that it was a success."
It’s a heart-warming story of how one can always rely on family, no matter how dire the situation might be.
Benoni North AH resident Jonathan Langerman always knew that his brother, Peter, will one day need a kidney transplant.
Peter, a minister at Durbanville Presbyterian Church in Cape Town, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in 1990 after returning from serving in the army.
“In 2020 I became ill with Covid-19. We knew there were increased risks involved as I had an underlying kidney disease.
“I thought I had escaped relatively lightly when three weeks later I was able to return to my work.
“However, four weeks later I collapsed in the office and I later discovered that my kidneys had now gone into a downward spiral. It was time to start looking for a donor,” Peter said.
Jonathan, who was born with cerebral palsy which affected the right side of his body, always knew that when the time came, he would have to donate one of his kidneys to his brother.
“When Jon heard that I needed a kidney he immediately stepped into the gap and insisted that he was the one who was going to be donating,” said Peter.
According to CANSA, PKD is a genetic disease in which clusters of cysts develop in the kidneys, causing the organs to enlarge and lose function over time.
“I’ve always been aware of the disease. My mom passed away from it three years ago. My younger brother, David – who died in a car accident in 1997 – had it and also needed a kidney.
“I knew that one day I might have to give a kidney to Peter. In that way, I’ve always prepared for it,” Jonathan said.
The initial tests revealed they were a match but they couldn’t go on with the operation due to Jonathan’s weight.
The love for family, which he said is very important to him, saw Jonathan challenge himself to lose weight in time so that he could help out his brother.
“I was weighing 105kg. I needed to lose weight as my Body Mass Index (BMI) had to be below 25.
“I did intermittent fasting and began to walk. Within a year, I managed to cover over 3 000km. My weight dropped to around 80kg and BMI went to below 25.”
After another round of tests, it was confirmed that he was capable of donating a kidney. Jonathan flew to Cape Town on October 17 and eight days later, the operation took place and it was a success.
“The kidney worked immediately which was fantastic.
“I feel as if I haven’t done the operation. I feel fantastic. I’m glad I was able to do it for my brother and that it was a success.
According to the radio jock, his life has changed tremendously as he has now found his purpose.
“This has changed my life in a way that I’ve learnt to appreciate exercising. I’ve lost a lot of weight and I’ve got more energy. This has helped me to have purpose in life,” Jonathan said proudly.
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