The Team | Jen

Born in Burnley, Lancashire in 1979, Jen obtained a BA in Geography at the University of Leeds in 2000. Shortly after she travelled to Japan to work as an English teacher for the Japanese government for two years before returning to Leeds to complete her MA in Geography and begin a PhD. In 2005, whilst still completing her PhD, Jen was given the devastating news that she was in end-stage renal failure and her only option was dialysis and a kidney transplant.

Feeling frustrated by the shortage of organ donors and the plight of others waiting for transplants, Jen began her campaign to encourage people to sign up to the organ register with an appearance on the local news during National Transplant Week 2006. Following further media appearances on radio, television and in the newspapers, Jen decided to reach out to the large student population of Leeds with an awareness raising music gig, from which she raised Ł500 for the National Kidney Federation. She has also spoken about transplantation in hospitals and raises awareness about the need for more donors amongst doctors and nurses.

Jen says: “Being told you need a transplant is devastating because of the feeling of helplessness that your life is in the hands of a family making a decision to donate a loved ones organs at a time of incredible stress and heartache. I wanted to get involved in Live Life Then Give Life to educate people about the desperate need for more organ donors, encourage more people to sign up to the organ donor register and help make that heartbreaking decision easier”

Jen is also an executive member of the National Kidney Federation and editor of their magazine for young patients, Kidneytastic. She is committed to improving the outcomes for all kidney patients, either through dialysis or transplantation.

We are thrilled to announce that Jen received her new kidney in February 2008.