York kidney patient Michael Hardgrave's long-awaited "Who Shares Wins" transplant from his wife will finally go ahead later this month.

The former SAS reservist and his wife Angela will both have operations at St James's

Hospital in Leeds on February 25. The Evening Press reported in December how delays in performing the kidney transplant meant Mr Hardgrave, 55, who lives off Walmgate, was set to suffer another miserable Christmas without most of the food, drink and confectionery that everyone else takes for granted. His severely restricted diet reduced his Christmas dinner to roast goose and one potato.

At that stage, St James's blamed the delays on the hospital's live donor transplant programme becoming a victim of its own success, with many more undergoing the operation than had been expected. A spokesman pointed out that the removal of a healthy kidney from Mrs Hardgrave and its transplantation into Mr Hardgrave required two theatres, two sets of theatre staff and two ICU beds. The spokesman said it was hoped the op could go ahead within four to five months.

Mr Hardgrave is delighted to have now been given a firm date of February 25. "I'm very pleased," he said. "I've a bit of trepidation but I'm relieved we are finally getting somewhere."

He believed Evening Press coverage of his story had helped prevent the delays getting any longer. "The publicity helps cut through the bureaucracy."

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