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A Lanarkshire man is on a mission to play on every single golf course in Scotland.
Barry Smith has always loved golf but following his kidney and pancreas transplant in November 2019, the 41-year-old said the sport has given him a “new lease of life”.
This World Kidney Day, on Thursday March 9, Barry is calling out for support for his challenge of playing every single course in Scotland – 580 in total – in aid of Kidney Research UK.
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Barry, who has lived with type 1 diabetes from the age of 11, said: “I’ve flirted with golf on and off my whole life but I put my clubs away when I was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of 32 as I didn’t have the energy to play anymore.
“But after my double transplant, I was looking for a way to keep fit. I bought an exercise bike, but it very quickly just became something for me to hang my clothes on.
“Then my son Scott, who was 21 at the time, bought a set of golf clubs and pushed me to get back into it.”
After meeting a fellow golf enthusiast on Facebook, he set himself the challenge of playing every course in Scotland.
“There are 580 courses,” he said. “I’ve played 214 so I’ve got 366 to go!”
(Image: WSH])
Barry, whose golf handicap is an impressive 6.9, works as a deputy manager for Royal Mail and hails from Newarthill.
He has been with his partner Sarah for 24 years and also has a 14-year-old daughter Erin.
It was at a routine check up at the diabetic clinic back in 2013 when Barry’s doctor tested his kidney function.
He said: “They confirmed my kidney function had dropped nine to 10 per cent. I knew it was inevitable that I’d need a transplant at some point as both my kidneys were failing.
“But it wasn’t until five years later that I had to start dialysis three times a week.
“The pros of having a pancreas transplant outweighed the cons. Having a new pancreas would mean I wouldn’t have to treat my diabetes anymore.
“It’s not just my life that’s changed since the operation, it’s everyone round about me whose lives have changed too. There’s no more worrying and I can live a normal life.
“I’ve been given a new start. I got really lucky. I could have lost my life. I got a second chance.”
Barry’s challenge is an opportunity to celebrate his second chance as well as staying healthy in the process.
And he wants more kidney patients to find the benefits of looking after their wellbeing, as he has.
For him, it’s as much about raising awareness as it is about inviting people to contribute to his fundraising page.
As well as supporting the charity’s fundraising, he’s keen that on World Kidney Day people take the opportunity to sign up for Kidney Research UK’s free Kidney Kit, which is filled with recipes and accessible exercises tailored to kidney patients’ needs.
“Golf is a great sport to keep you fit,” he said.
“You walk miles around a golf course but you don’t think of it as exercise.
“Other patients might need a bit more inspiration to help them manage their condition, and this kit is just the thing.”
You can contribute to Barry’s fundraising page here
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