MIKE Sharpe discovered he had kidney failure just before he was due to take the post of Lord Mayor of Birmingham in 2006.

He had been due to have a life-saving transplant from his wife Thelma prior to his Mayoral appointment but health problems meant it couldn’t go ahead.

Yet Mike, aged 60, chose to fulfil his public obligation, despite having to fit the gruelling work schedule around his dialysis and treatment regime.

Wife Thelma, aged 57, said: “It was hard because sometimes he would be working all day at engagements around the West Midlands and then he would be up all night being sick because of his medication.”

Mike managed to successfully complete his year in office despite needing twice-daily dialysis appointments which often had to be carried out before he started work at 7am.

And when his term was over, but while he took on the role as Deputy Mayor, he was able to have the lifesaving transplant from Thelma.

Mike said he would be eternally grateful to his wife for giving him the ultimate gift of life.