Angela Dunn (1945-2026)

Angela left her hometown of Bolton in 1968 and her job as secretary when at the age of 22 she married Eric and accompanied him on a posting to Malta. A year later she developed progressive kidney failure resulting in an early return to UK and subsequent removal of her kidneys and dialysis.

She was transplanted with a deceased donor kidney in Cambridge by Roy Calne in 1970.

The transplant allowed her a return to  an almost carefree life, returning to secretarial work when she could get it in various enterprises such as Bird Life International and the Bakken Research Centre in Maastricht.  When work was hard to find in the late nineteen seventies, she borrowed a book from the public library and taught herself to make gold and silver jewellery. If you ever came across a piece with the hallmark ACD you would have one of hers.

She maintained active involvement with various kidney charities over the years, especially Addenbrooke’s Kidney Patients Association, of which she was a founder member together with Dr Edward Whittingham (also a renal patient) and senior nurse, Sally Taber.

Angela took part in several national and international Transplant Games where she won many medals for swimming and running and she was a trustee of the UK Transplant Games organisation.

Angela died in France where she had settled in April 2026. Her transplant continued to have excellent function right up to the time of her short final illness.

Angela with Roy Calne, 2016

When she was transplanted in 1970, it was cautiously predicted she might have only have five or so years to live. But in fact, her transplant function remained good   until her final illness 55 years and 9 months later.  Thanks to the generosity of a grieving family all those years ago. Organ donation – the gift of life.

Eric her husband reminds us: “Everything that Angela achieved in all aspects of her life was made possible by donation, transplantation and dedicated medical support. I hope that her story might encourage potential donors and those awaiting or in the early years of their transplant”.

Last Updated on July 11, 2026 by John Feehally