Jeff Miles has been given the gift of life.
A loving husband and father of four, Jeff, 46, can now spend everyday moments with his family – watching his kids grow up, play sport, create memories through travel, and so much more.
And it’s all been made possible after a long-awaited kidney transplant, following a lifetime living with kidney disease, six years on dialysis and four ‘false alarm’ calls.
“By the end of it, I was doing dialysis five hours a night, four days a week, and it was really taking its toll on me,” Jeff said.
“So by the time that kidney come, it was time.
“I went back to work just under three months after my surgery. I’m back taking my kids to all their sports again, riding bikes with my boys. I can travel again for work. We’re travelling to Queensland later this year as a family which we haven’t done for a long time.
“So it’s created normality again, for my life again.”
Not a minute goes by where Jeff isn’t grateful for his donor kidney and the grieving family who made it all possible, often tearing up when he talks about it.
And he is also very grateful for the wonderful care of local doctors Associate Professor Shilpa Jesudason, Professor Toby Coates AO and staff from the Central & Northern Adelaide Renal Transplant Service (CNARTS) at Hampstead Gardens – whose work is supported by The Hospital Research Foundation Group through the Home Lottery.
“I remember having a conversation about who people idolise in life. People idolise footballers, cricketers and bands – but why aren’t we idolising people like this. Dr Toby and Dr Shilpa and other doctors in general, they’re doing the things that matter.
“The science behind what happens is just amazing, and that can only be done through research.”