When Sarah Verstage and Jason Carpenter met on a dating website, they matched in another special way they could never have imagined.

Because not only did they fall head over heels in love but he transformed her life – by donating one of his kidneys.

The couple, who first came face to face at Victoria Station in 2013, say it has created a unique bond between them.

Nursery nurse Sarah, 37, who lives in The Borough in Canterbury, has spina bifida which has resulted in her kidneys gradually failing.

She faced the possibility of life on dialysis after doctors said her mother was too old to donate a kidney and her twin sister was not the match expected.

But then Jason, 45, an electrical engineer, made the extraordinary offer.

“I had it in the back of my mind after finding out we were the same blood group and thought of it as a plan B if it didn’t work out with a family donor. It was just a case whether I was a good enough match,” he said.

“I had exhaustive tests and when the results came through that I was a good match, I didn’t even have to think about. When you love someone, you cannot bear to see them suffer.

“She was knocking on the door of dialysis. She has always been a fighter and was putting on a brave face but it had to be done. There was no time to lose.”

She said: “I never expected Jason to offer and urged him to think long and hard about it because it’s a huge decision. But he was absolutely determined to do it.

“Right up to the day, I was saying ‘You don’t have to go through with this’.”

The couple had their operations at almost the same time at Guy’s Hospital in August but did not see each until the next day.

“All we could do was to hold hands because we were both very sore but it was very emotional,” said Sarah.

She is still on anti-organ rejection medication while Jason, who lives in Southend and has an 11-year-old son, is back at work.

Sarah said: “I just feel so much better. I had begun to feel that being so tired was normal but the transformation has been incredible.”

Now the couple are planning a new future together with Jason hoping to move to the area soon.

“It’s been a bit of a long distance romance so I need to do something about that,” he said.

“We’ve done very well to keep our relationship alive but it’s time to get serious now.”

The Human Tissue Act was introduced in 2006, allowing a donation from people other than those in a close relationship with the recipient.

This made ‘pooled and paired’ donation more possible, as well as ‘altruistic donation’ with no particular donor in mind.

But Kidney Research UK always advises there must be a powerful reason why people wish to donate, usually because of a concern for a relative, spouse, partner or friend who is in need of a kidney transplant.

East Kent Hospitals’ living donor transplant co-ordinator, Sarah Norris, said: “The donor has to be in tip-top condition and we have to make sure that they won’t be harmed.

"But if we’re satisfied that all the requirements have been met, we can proceed.

“Kidneys from live donors tend to last longer and be more successful than a donation received from someone who has died.”

If you’re interested in becoming an altruistic, live donor and want to find out more, visit www.nhsbt.nhs.uk. Alternatively, visit www.ekhuft.nhs.uk or email sarahnorris1@nhs.net