What’s Happening?
A Mackay man who spent almost six years on dialysis says a double organ transplant has given him his life back.
Tristram Creek, a 40-year-old First Nations man, received a kidney and pancreas transplant at Westmead Hospital in Sydney on January 19, 2026. Four months later, he says his life has changed completely.
Originally from Cairns, Tristram has lived in Mackay for the past eight years. His health battle began when he was diagnosed with diabetes at just 13.
By his early 20s, years of poor diabetic control as a teenager had begun damaging his kidneys.
“I knew my kidney function was declining, but I didn’t make the lifestyle changes I needed to,” he said.
“It eventually got worse over time until I finally required dialysis, which I deeply regret not changing my lifestyle choices back when I had the chance.”
Kidney disease and diabetes run strongly in Tristram’s family. Both conditions are also disproportionately high within Indigenous communities.
For Tristram, the impact was overwhelming. Dialysis became the centre of his life and made it hard to think beyond treatment.
“Treatment can be a lonely thing,” he said.
“When you’re doing dialysis, it’s hard to see anything outside of that. That’s all you can focus on.”
Before he could even be considered for transplant surgery, Tristram had to overcome a long list of medical setbacks.
He lost vision in his left eye before starting dialysis and later had the eye removed. He now wears a prosthetic eye.
Doctors also feared he may have had amyloidosis, a rare and potentially terminal disease caused by abnormal protein deposits in organs and tissues.
For six months, Tristram waited for specialist testing results from Brisbane.
“During that time, I was planning my funeral and building a house at the same time,” he said.
“When the amyloidosis team finally gave me the negative result, it felt like another chance.”
More complications followed. He had major dental surgery, suffered internal bleeding after a minor procedure, needed two blood transfusions and fought multiple infections.
He was also warned a third transfusion could remove him from the transplant waitlist.
“I refused the third transfusion and luckily the bleeding stopped on its own,” he said.
Why It Matters?
Tristram’s story shows how serious kidney disease can become when it is linked with long-term diabetes.
It also shows the life-changing impact of organ donation, especially for patients who need a highly specific donor match.
Because Tristram needed both a kidney and pancreas, the donor criteria were very narrow. The donor had to be deceased, under 40, disease-free and have perfectly working organs.
His rare blood type made the wait even harder.
“I can donate to anyone but I can only receive my own type back,” he said.
“Finding an organ donor felt like a one in a million chance.”
After more than two years on the waitlist, Tristram was physically exhausted and emotionally drained.
He had lost his father 12 months earlier, gone through a divorce, lost his federal government job on medical grounds and lost his ability to drive because of his eyesight.
He was also facing the prospect of homelessness.
By January 2026, Tristram felt he had reached the end of what he could endure.
By The Numbers
- Tristram was diagnosed with diabetes at 13, and by his early 20s his kidneys had already been seriously affected.
- Dialysis shaped almost six years of his life, leaving him focused on treatment and survival.
- He waited more than two years for a rare donor match that could provide both a kidney and pancreas.
Local Impact
Tristram’s recovery continues in Mackay, with ongoing support from Mackay Base Hospital and Westmead Hospital.
He attends twice-weekly appointments in Mackay for blood tests and monitoring. Those appointments are expected to reduce over time as his health continues to improve.
“Everybody at Mackay Base Hospital has been so supportive, especially the renal team,” he said.
“Both Mackay and Westmead communicate really well together for the best possible outcome.”
His experience also carries a clear message for people living with diabetes, kidney disease or reduced kidney function.
“If your kidney function is reducing, make sure you prioritise taking the medications prescribed to you and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I wish I had changed mine many years ago,” he said.
Zoom In
The turning point came on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Tristram was feeling very unwell and attended dialysis on a day outside his usual schedule. During the five-hour treatment, he made the painful decision to stop dialysis completely.
He knew that decision would likely remove him from the transplant waitlist. He also knew it could mean he had only weeks left to live.
He had written thank you messages to the renal nurses who had cared for him over the years and was preparing to tell them he would not be coming back.
“I had my phone in one hand, open to a note where I’d written thank you messages to all the nurses over the years, and the nurse call buzzer in my other hand,” he said.
“My phone rang and it was a private number, so I waited until it stopped ringing and the screen cleared so I could return to my note, ready to press the nurse buzzer to tell them I was not coming again.
“Just as I was about to press the buzzer, the phone rang again and this time, it was a Sydney number.
“It was actually the transplant coordinator from Westmead Hospital telling me that they finally had a match.”
At the same time, a Mackay Base Hospital renal team leader came rushing around the corner. He was speaking with the Sydney transplant team too.
“If that isn’t divine intervention, I don’t know what is,” Tristram said.
Tristram received the call on January 17 and flew to Sydney the next day, which was also his late father’s birthday.
He had the kidney and pancreas transplant at Westmead Hospital on January 19, 2026.
Usually, transplant patients travel with a support person, but Tristram faced the operation alone because of his circumstances. His older brother was able to join him a week later.
Zoom Out
Despite the complexity of the surgery, Tristram’s recovery went well.
He spent eight days in hospital before moving into accommodation provided by Westmead Hospital across the road.
A typical recovery can take up to eight weeks, but Tristram returned home to Mackay after nearly four weeks in Sydney. His focus on health and fitness before and after surgery helped his recovery.
Now, four months on, Tristram says life feels completely different.
“I feel amazing. I have a new lease on life,” he said.
“My whole world has opened back up again and I see life differently now.
“I cherish every day not having to be stuck to a (dialysis) machine.”
Tristram is now focused on staying healthy through exercise, strict medication routines, healthy eating and regular follow-up appointments.
He also says his gratitude for the donor and the donor’s family will stay with him for the rest of his life.
“I’ll never take this second chance for granted,” he said.
What To Look For Next?
Tristram’s recovery will continue through regular monitoring in Mackay and Sydney, with appointments expected to reduce as his health remains stable.
For others on dialysis or waiting for a transplant, he hopes his story gives them a reason to keep going, even on the hardest days.
“And if you’re on dialysis and on the waitlist, just really try to stay positive,” he said.
“Even when you feel like you can’t fight anymore, you have to really dig deep and find the will to survive. Just don’t ever, ever give up.”
