When Stopsley telecoms boss Dino Maroudias, 43, discovered he had serious kidney problems after a routine health check, he was convinced he was going to die.
So the former Dunstable football club director took his wife and family on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disneyland in America.
"I thought it would be my last holiday," he admitted.
But today the father-of-four looks the picture of health and is about to set off for the World Transplant Games in Australia.
He said: "I'm extremely grateful and pretty lucky that my brother was the ideal match. I don't want to get emotional but organ donation is the ultimate gift, the biggest gift anyone can give."
He and his family still find it hard to believe that he's not only fit and well but will be representing Britain at tennis, table tennis and volley ball. "We're all gobsmacked and grateful," he said.
http://www.worldtransplantgames09.com/
