IT WAS children's book author Mark Brown who once said 'sometimes, being a brother is even better than being a superhero.' It is a phrase which will resonate with former Launceston man Roger Davey.

On July 13, 46-year-old Roger underwent a procedure at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth that saw him donate one of his kidneys to brother Anthony.

Anthony, 38, has been on the transplant waiting list since 2009, when one of his kidneys, having lasted 17 years, began to fail. The decline contributed to high blood pressure levels, which in turn led to Anthony suffering two strokes.

An estimated 100,000 people in the UK suffer from some form of kidney disease.

A person only needs one kidney to survive, and unlike other types of organ donation, such as heart and liver, a living person can donate a kidney — ideally, this will be a close relative.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, please see this week's edition of the 'Post'.