Busted star James Bourne was losing his eyesight as he waited for a life-saving kidney transplant, his brother Chris has revealed. Chris, 33, a musician with MFT80s, donated a kidney to his older brother after James was given a prognosis of "a few years" to live. The transplant took place following James's announcement in April that he needed surgery to "extend his life."
Brother describes pre-surgery struggles
Chris told The Sun that he and James were in adjoining rooms before the operation, each with a clock on the wall at the end of their beds. "When James went in, he said he had trouble reading the clock. But when he came out of the operation and was taken to his room, he could see the clock," Chris said.
He added: "The whole process of receiving a new kidney isn't as instant as that. But for some things, it's pretty instantaneous; it's incredible." Chris, who is in a six-week recovery period, said James is doing "really well." The surgeon described the donated organ as a "Bentley Rolls-Royce kidney," which will extend James's life.
Family unaware of illness
Chris said he and his family, including his sister, were unaware that James was seriously ill. He was told the news while standing outside Wembley with his sister Melissa, surrounded by Busted fans. "James was in a really bad way," he recalled. Chris, Melissa, and their brother Nick all offered to be kidney donors, with Chris completely changing his lifestyle. He was also instructed to learn as many Busted songs as possible to stand in for James on tour.
Recovery and public update
Last month, James shared on his Spotify biography that he was on the road to recovery. He wrote: "Wow, what the hell happened? One minute you're heading out on tour, the next thing you know you're on the bench and out of the game. My condition was serious, and the doctors told me I had a few years left to live."
He continued: "I'm happy to share now that my youngest brother, Chris, who stepped in for me on tour last year, has saved my life yet again. This time quite literally by donating me one of his kidneys. I can't believe how much better I'm starting to feel already. I'm still going to need some time, but I wanted you to know that we're both recovering from surgery just fine. My brother is a hero."
In July, James thanked fans for their support, writing: "As I'm taking a break from the gram, I'll be posting an update soon about what's going on with my health in my Spotify bio. It's a long story. Still not out of the woods yet. Thanks for your support and patience."
