A man who met his wife through a dating app announced that he has not only found love, but also a suitable partner for his kidney transplant.

Steven Murfin, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was forced to give up two jobs due to ill health after being diagnosed with kidney problems in 2014.

He felt isolated during the pandemic until he met Julie online. They married in 2022 and just a year later she proved to be a suitable donor for a transplant.

Mr Murfin, 65, said: “A huge thank you to Julie and all the doctors and nurses who helped me through this.”

Following a routine examination in 2014, Mr Murfin was told that his kidney function had declined to just 24%.

After several hospital visits and tests, it was discovered that his kidneys were losing fluid.

He said: “I returned to work a week after the tests, but after four days my legs became very swollen and unfortunately I had to give up my job as a truck driver.

“I was in and out of hospital for six months, then I found another job in mental health care and everything was going well until 2020.”

In December 2020, Mr. Murfin began dialysis treatment as his kidney function had dropped to only 10%.

He said: “When Covid hit, my family lived in Derby and I didn’t realise what a big deal it was until the New Year.

“It hit me hard. I had to give up my new job for health and safety reasons. I was on my own and the only person I saw was my nurse who came in and checked if I was OK.

“I was mentally devastated and thought that was it until I was offered a new kidney. It was a lonely time, but I continued with my life-saving dialysis treatment.”

Isolated and overwhelmed, his mood lifted when he met someone online.

“I met Julie through online dating and she just kept me going. It turned out we only lived 10 minutes away from each other.

“After the lockdown was over, I decided to meet Julie for the first time and she was very supportive.

“Then she started taking me to my appointments at the hospital and she was also there for every transplant call I received,” Mr Murfin said.

Despite several transplant offers, none were suitable until Ms Murfin herself underwent nearly a year of tests to confirm that she was a suitable donor.

Mrs Murfin, also 65, said: “When I first saw the picture of him online, I thought he looked like an amazing and genuine guy with a kind face that I immediately fell in love with.”

“I didn’t take the donation lightly; I did my research. He meant the world to me and I wanted him to get better.”

Mr Murfin said: “I was really nervous about her. It’s such a big deal.

“Everything went well that day in May 2023, we celebrated one year after the surgery and we are both doing really well.

“A huge thank you goes out to Julie and all the doctors and nurses who helped me through all this.”

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