"Living Donor Experience"

I'm an international citizen and after testing in my country for 3 months I was given the all clear to be a living donor.

I opted to donate to my friend here in Australia. I flew over late last year to complete the last bits of testing. I can safely say, for me its been the worst experience ever! Despite me already being signed off to donate in my country, you asked me to complete more tests which I was happy to do, however that took 2 months before you could arrange any (all the time I'm staying here out of my own pocket) you finally advise I can apply for my medical visa which I do promptly and yet still a further 4 weeks before you book me in for the same tests I had in my country which you had the results of.

It's certainly not the testing I have an issue with its the, in my opinion, appalling treatment I receive when attending any testing. I feel I'm spoken to like I'm trying to steal medical care instead of being treated like a potential life saving donor. The rudeness of staff I encountered is I feel beyond comprehension. I'm trying to help another human being and yet your staff I have seen (excluding the renal teams who have been amazing) have, I felt, been rude beyond belief, as soon as I mention I'm on a medical visa and hold no medicare card they seem to become feral.

If it wasn't for my friend I would have already left the country as based on my experience it seems donating here is clearly not something the Prince of Wales Hospital supports! I know this is just a PoW issue as another hospital who completed my CT scan were just as wonderful as my staff back home.

I believe you are also the only Hospital that do not commemorate living donations with any such acknowledgement (Other states provide a health pack, my country provides a silver pin). Based on my experience I'm surprised anyone donates to your Hospital at all. It's been a terrible experience so far and I'm certainly not looking forward to the operation if this is seemingly how you treat people during testing and will be suggesting my friend move to a private hospital for the operation or come with me to my country.