Lomu paid thousands for dialysis during UK tour

Former All Black Jonah Lomu was paying thousands of dollars a week for dialysis treatment during the speaking tour of the UK he undertook just before his death, his widow Nadene has told Checkpoint with John Campbell.

Lomu died suddenly last November, aged 40, after suffering for many years from a chronic and serious kidney disorder.

He had just returned from the hectic speaking and publicity tour that coincided with the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Nadene Lomu said each day had to be carefully planned around Lomu's dialysis treatment which he had four times a week for six hours at a time.

"Converting it, it went between 1000 New Zealand dollars to 1500 New Zealand dollars per treatment."

Nadene Lomu said just before the tour she had tests to see if she could donate a kidney to her husband, but she was incompatible.

He had previously received a donated kidney from radio host Grant Kereama in 2004.

Speaking for the first time since her husband's death, Nadene Lomu said she did the initial preparation for donation in secret.

"I got the forms ready and we needed the blood test papers so I went and got those done, and then I said, 'Jonah, I want to help you'."

Lomu was "really excited" when she revealed she wanted to help him, Mrs Lomu said.

The couple went through testing just before they flew to the UK for the Rugby World Cup, which Lomu attended as part of a publicity and speaking tour.

"We always said we don't want to get too excited in case compatibility wasn't any option. Results came back and it said that we weren't compatible," Mrs Lomu said.

The news was tough but the couple always held out hope they would find another solution, she said.

 

     

Author: 
Radio New Zealand International