A BIKER suffering with kidney failure is attempting to arrange a 1,000-strong convoy to raise vital funds for Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s renal unit.

Spencer Furley, who lives in Northbourne, first began to notice pain in his kidneys as a teenager.

The 39-year-old was eventually diagnosed with pyelonephritis – inflammation of the kidney as a result of a bacterial infection.

This led to the organ failing and in 2005 he began receiving dialysis before receiving a transplant in 2008.

Mr Furley began to lead a normal life again but, in 2013, this kidney also failed.

“You don’t want to think it is happening,” he recalled. “But I remember feeling my energy levels drop again, the pain returning and just knowing.”

He has been back on dialysis ever since, spending four hours at Royal Bournemouth Hospital three times a week as he waits for news on a transplant.

Full of praise for the unit, which is a satellite of Dorset County Hospital's renal service, he said he wants to “do something big” to repay them for their hard work and care, as well as raising awareness of the organ donor register.

“As funds are always being stretched in the NHS I decided to give something back to the unit,” he said.

“The unit would benefit from a sonic scanner which is a small device used to check the vein for clearance for the access of the needles - and also a couple of TVs. As you can imagine, it gets a little boring sat for four hours at a time.”

Always a keen biker himself, Mr Furley has now arranged for a convoy to leave Wimborne on Sunday August 30 before making its way to Henstridge Airfield in Somerset.

Hundreds have already paid the £5 to sign up and he is urging others to join - with all funds going to the Dorset County Hospital Trust.

Visit kidneyfundraisingconvoy.co.uk/index.php/register1 to register.

And for more information about organ donation visit organdonation.nhs.uk