Broadcaster Lauren Laverne makes an appeal on behalf of Kidney Research UK, the leading national charity dedicated to research for better treatments and a cure for kidney disease. It's a subject she cares about deeply after her father suffered kidney failure last year.

The film features ten-year-old Matt, who has had both his kidneys removed. His life depends completely on a daily routine of dialysis. He's been on the transplant list for seven years and is desperate for a donor kidney to become available.

The appeal also features Deborah Bakewell, who went into kidney failure in her 50s. After years on a punishing dialysis routine, her wishes appeared to come true when a donor kidney came up for transplant. However, disappointment followed when the kidney appeared to be damaged.

Fortunately, her surgeon Professor Mike Nicholson was leading a groundbreaking research team funded by Kidney Research UK. He wanted to see if the one in five donated kidneys that are currently thought to be unsuitable due to damage could be successfully transplanted. He has pioneered a technique called normothermic perfusion, which allowed medics to revive a donor kidney in the lab and test whether it works or not. Deborah decided to become a medical guinea pig, and to take Professor Nicholson's offer. After he transplanted the kidney, her recovery was immediate and dramatic, and she says she owes her life to Professor Nicholson's research. Kidney Research UK is now funding a trial to test the technique on many more transplant patients. Show less