Tributes paid to former Down Council director Bob Arnott

Tributes paid to former Down Council director Bob Arnott

15 May 2019

A FORMER Down Council director who was chairman of the Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund has passed away.

Mr Bob Arnott — who was in 80s — was heralded as playing a crucial role in supporting medical research that has helped to change lives around the world.

He was also regarded as a beacon of hope for people who spend time on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.

Billy Thompson, vice-chairman of the Kidney Research Fund, said Mr Arnott played a very large and invaluable role in the organisation from its very early stages.

“He was so passionate about the importance of organ transplants and he helped to raise awareness of the importance of research and of organ donations,” said Mr Thompson.

“Northern Ireland now leads the way in kidney transplants and ranks highly in Europe for having the highest number of living kidney donations.”

Mr Thompson said Mr Arnott also played a leading part in growing the charity to what it is today.

He added: “Over the years we have helped to fund research which has resulted in papers on renal failure being presented at medical conferences around the world. Bob was no small part of that.”

Mr Arnott’s health had been declining in recent years, but it is not believed this was connected to his transplant.

In 2011, he took part in a UTV documentary in which he described how he had been able to lead an active and normal life following his surgery, with no special dietary requirements.

Mr Arnott was left heartbroken by the death of his son, Michael, from motor neurone disease the following year, aged just 46.

Former UUP MLA Jo-Anne Dobson, who has campaigned for the introduction of an opt-out transplant system in Northern Ireland in light of her son’s experience of renal failure, said she was saddened to learn of Mr Arnott’s passing.

Mrs Dobson, who donated one of her kidneys to her son, Mark, in March last year, said: “The kidney family, those of us who have donated a kidney or received a kidney, are connected through our experience, so Bob’s passing will be felt very keenly by that community. He worked so hard over the years on fundraising and gave so many people hope as well.

“Bob was an inspiration to people who were waiting for a transplant because they saw how well he had done and how healthy he had been and that gave them hope that they would be all right too.

People aspired to be like him and the whole kidney transplant family will feel like we have lost one of us.”

Mrs Dobson added: “I am an ambassador for Kidney Care UK and give a lot of talks to raise awareness. I always like to talk about people because it gives a sense of the physical and emotional toll of a kidney transplant, but Bob showed us what can be achieved. My heartfelt sympathies go to his friends and family.”

Mr Arnott’s funeral service will be held at Drumbeg Parish Church later this afternoon. He is survived by his wife, Norma, and son Alan.