Busted star James Bourne's eyesight began to improve shortly after he received a life-saving kidney transplant from his brother, Chris Bourne, it has been revealed.
Chris Bourne told The Sun that his brother, who was warned he had only a few years left to live before the transplant, felt better almost immediately after the surgery. He noted that James had struggled to read the clock in his hospital room before the operation but could see it clearly afterward.
James Bourne publicly shared last month that his brother had donated a kidney to him. He described Chris as his "hero" and stated that both of them were recovering from the surgery.
"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 explained. "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 added that James is "doing really well" post-surgery. He and his siblings, Melissa and Nick, all offered to be kidney donors.
Bourne had previously stepped in for James on the first dates of the Busted tour when the singer had to withdraw due to his health concerns. James had announced his health issues in September, stating he was awaiting "life-extending" surgery.
In a statement shared on his Spotify account, Bourne detailed the severity of his condition: "My condition was serious and the doctors told me I had a few years left to live. 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."
He added, "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."
Bourne had to pull out of Busted's "VS" tour last year due to his health. His bandmates, Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis, had informed fans that Bourne was "really f***ing sick." In a statement on Instagram, Bourne expressed his regret for missing the tour, stating his need to "focus on the medical stuff for now."