Kidney patient and transplant recipient Angela Dunn, who died peacefully on 28 April 2026 in France, is believed to have been the longest surviving kidney transplant recipient from a deceased donor, with her donated organ lasting 55 years and nine months.

Her transplant was carried out on 25 July 1970 by Professor Sir Roy Calne, surgeon and pioneer of organ transplantation working at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

In 1970 Angela was surviving on dialysis and wasn’t expected to live much longer. At that time, it was widely thought that transplant recipients could only look forward to a short life as an invalid. She did not expect to live beyond 30 years old.

However, Angela’s life changed when she was offered a kidney from a man who died in a road traffic accident. She spoke about receiving the gift of life many years later: “For me it was a miracle. We were told the donor was from Birmingham, killed in a motor bike accident. What a generous family to give me a new life, whilst they were grieving. I cannot express enough my gratitude to my donor‘s family, to Professor Sir Roy Calne, all the medical staff who have watched over me and to my husband Eric."

Prof Calne, widely known for developing a drug to prevent organ rejection, performed the operation at the RAF hospital at Halton where Angela was living, as a case of Hepatitis B on the base prevented her from travelling to Addenbrooke’s.

Professor John Bradley, Consultant Nephrologist and Director of Research at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, worked with Sir Roy for many years. On the 50th anniversary of Angela's transplant, he remembered Sir Roy’s remarkable achievements, and the immense gratitude patients had for him.

"He overcame many barriers to kidney transplantation, particularly in its early days. Perhaps most notable was the development of effective immunosuppression to prevent transplant rejection, a field he continued to advance throughout his career. For so many patients he changed their lives, and he always maintained a keen interest in their achievements."

For many years, from the inception of the Transplant Games, Angela competed for Cambridge and Great Britain, including running a mini marathon round Central Park in New York, doing a terrifying 5km race through the rush hour in Athens and a 1500m in the original elliptical Olympic stadium. Angela also played an instrumental role in helping to establish the Addenbrooke’s Kidney Patients Association.

Paul Bristow, Chief Executive of Kidney Care UK, said: "Angela achieved so much in her life, thanks to the selfless generosity of her donor’s family, making the choice to donate his organs at a time when they were grieving his loss. We hope that they took comfort in knowing that this lifesaving gift has had a ripple effect across people with kidney disease in the Addenbrooke’s area as well as all the families Angela met at the many Transplant Games she attended.”

*Angela's is thought to have been the world’s longest surviving cadaveric transplant, meaning that the organ came from a deceased donor. This is distinct from an organ donated from a living relative, where the genetic match makes it far more likely to be a success.