A MAN who had kidney and pancreas transplant two years ago is encouraging people to sign up for organ donation.

Andrew Farrow, 35, of Halstead, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 12 and had to inject himself five times a day.

However, he admits to not taking proper care of the condition, which causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high, and this has caused him to have numb sensations in his feet and go blind in one eye.

He was forced to go on dialysis in January 2014 when his kidneys deteriorated, travelling to Colchester hospital three times a week for the treatment.

He said: "It used to take all day.

"It makes you feel very tired on the days you don't have the treatment as well so you can't have a job or a normal life."

However, his life was changed when he received a phone call two years ago that a match had been found.

He underwent the operation at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridgeshire on May 22, 2014.

Mr Farrow no longer needs to inject himself, and wants to encourage other diabetics to look after themselves and for everyone to sign up to the organ donation register.

He added: "One person dying can save more than one life.

"It is not often you can save someone's life.

"If you are willing to accept an organ donation, you must be willing to donate your own organs.

"You don't need them when you are gone."

For more information on organ donation, visit nhs.uk/Conditions/Organ-donation and on diabetes visit: nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes