He had a kidney transplant at 35-years-old but Vincentia’s Graham Dyer is in desperate need of a second after the operation failed failed just three days later on his 36th birthday.
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Now 41-years-old, Graham’s best mate has offered to donate a kidney.
While the kidney could save Graham’s life, the costs associated with the transfer are high and friend and carer Aimee Kenward has stepped in to help ease the pressure.
Ms Kenward has organised a fundraiser to be held on Sunday, October 18.
Held at the Nowra School of Arts, the event will kick off at 2pm until 5.30pm and will feature live entertainment, including The Voice finalist, Liam Maihi. Face painting, twister, guessing competitions and raffles will also feature.
Ms Kenward said the event is aiming to help the Dyer family with expenses associated with the operation.
“The family will be required to relocate up to Sydney nearby the hospital for four to six weeks after transplantation so we’re hoping to put money towards that,” she said.
“Graham's best mate who has offered to donate a kidney to him lives in Bathurst and money raised will also help to pay for the out-of-pocket expenses both medically and accommodation wise that he will have in order to give Graham this second chance at a healthy life.”
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children or $25 for families. Everyone is encouraged to wear red to represent the Kidney Foundation and bring a gold coin donation.
Anyone willing to donate a prize to the raffle is encouraged to contact Ms Kenward on 04 0561 5249.
Ms Kenward said the last seven years have been very difficult for Mr Dyer.
“He lives with kidney failure and up until recently was on peritoneal dialysis at home for 10 hours a day, every day for the past seve years, she said.
“Unfortunately, this treatment recently began failing and he has had to have a fistula surgically constructed in his arm in order for him to be able to begin haemodialysis.
“Graham has now been successful in gaining a chair which allows him to do haemodialysis at Shoalhaven Hospital three days per week for 5-6 hours at a time.”
Mr Dyer contracted a strep infection at just 16-years-old while representing Australian Schoolboys in water polo, leading to his eventual kidney disease 19 years later.
“This kidney disease had a minimal risk of ending in renal failure and unfortunately for him he was in that 1 per cent and was diagnosed with end stage renal failure (kidney failure) at the age of 35 in 2008,” Ms Kenward said.
At this time, Mr Dyer and his wife Amanda had two very young children; three-year-old Harmony (now 11 years old) and one-year-old (now eight years old).
“Both girls don't remember their Dad healthy nor not having to rely on a dialysis machine to keep him alive,” Ms Kenward said.
“This young family's world was really turned upside down.”
Six months later in August 2009, 5 / 6 kidney match became available for Graham- an extremely rare event.
The family raced to RPA Hospital in Sydney for an immediate transplant. The transplant appeared a success with the new kidney working, however three days later it began to fail.
Graham's transplant wasn’t able to be saved and he lost it on his 36th birthday.
Ms Kenward said after Mr Dyer was placed back on the transfer waiting list, things continued to decline.
“Two years later Graham was struck down with a nerve condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome which has left him with permanent nerve damage in his lower legs and feet,” she said.
“This is something that he now has to live with forever with no chance of any further improvement. It causes him great nerve pain and he struggles to walk and cannot walk long distances.”
In the past month Mr Dyer has proved stable enough to be reactivated on the cadaver transplant list. Along with his best mate, he is currently in the work-up process towards transplantation in the near future.
Ms Kenward encouraged everyone to support Mr Dyer and his family.
“This family just never gets a break and any help we can get would be much appreciated,” she said.
“I would also like to thank the local community for their overwhelming support. They have been very generous with donations of raffle prizes.
“Also, thankyou to Merrin Ross, Dennis Ross, Marie De La Torre and the entire Albatross Musical Theatre Company (AMTC) for their extensive support for this cause.”
A funding pool has also been set up for anyone wanting to donate:
