A man is encouraging others to share their organ donation decision as he awaits his own life-saving transplant.

Liam Girvan, from Uddingston, was put on the list for an organ donor after being diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, a condition which reduces kidney function and ultimately can cause kidney failure.

READ NEXT: Alzheimer's and dementia numbers reveal Glasgow has higher death rate

Glasgow Times:

Liam said: “I never, ever really felt unwell. I was given a medical for work and that's where it was picked up that there was too much protein in my urine.

“After the results, I phoned the doctor who asked me to have blood tests. I never thought anything more about it and I went back to work.

“A few days later, the doctor called to say that my kidneys seemed to be impaired and they were only functioning at 30 per cent.

“It was a real shock. There were no signs of illness. And two years later I’m on dialysis. Thank goodness for that medical. I would have just kept plodding along until I dropped down dead. I was lucky.”

After receiving the news, Liam started attending regular hospital appointments to monitor his kidney function.

He said: “I was monitored for two years and they were able to tell me that I would probably need to start dialysis in August 2020. And they were right – down to the month.

“It’s then you start to worry about what you are going to do here, are you going to be able to continue to work? Your world just comes crashing down and you think the worst. You don’t know what’s around the corner and you don’t know what’s ahead of you.

“But when I started the dialysis process, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be the end of the world, but it wasn’t. Life goes on and you need to make the most of your situation. And that is what I have done.

“I try to go along with things as if this issue doesn’t exist. I am just making it part of my day-to-day life and making the most of a bad situation.”

READ NEXT: Fears raised after phone at Erskine Bridge broken 

Since first being diagnosed, Liam has always known that he would need a transplant one day.

He said: “I have polycystic kidney disease. My father had this. When I was young and growing up, my father was always in and out of hospital. I always knew there was a chance I could have it, but I didn’t feel anything.

“I was always fit and healthy. When I got to 40 I thought I was sailing through without having the disease as I had no symptoms. But little did I know what was going on inside me.

“My Dad had this, my sister is the same. My cousins and uncles all on my Dad’s side of the family all have this."

Liam is currently waiting for the phone call to let him know that there is an organ waiting for him and is encouraging everyone to let their loved ones know of their own organ donation decision.

He said: “If you can help out someone and give them a few extra years of life, then go for it. It’s an amazing gift to leave to someone after you no longer need your organs.

“Let members of your family know your intentions around any decision you make around organ donation. It can help so many people living with these conditions.”

To find out more about Organ Donation Scotland, click HERE

To watch Liam’s video, click HERE