Kidney transplant mum urges donors to sign up
AN Airdrie woman who received a life-saving kidney transplant is encouraging people to register to help others.
Fiona Davies, 35, lived with kidney failure for five years before she was able to receive a transplant from a deceased donor.
The mum-of-one is now backing a campaign to increase the number of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
In June, the Evening Times won our Opt for Life campaign which will see the law on organ donation changed to a soft opt out system to increase the number of donors and save more lives.
Fiona was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease when she was 17, a hereditary disease which she successfully managed.
The birth of her son James in 2012 impacted on her kidney function, causing it to decline until she reached end stage kidney failure in October 2016.
Four months later, Fiona was list- ed for a transplant and had a fistula fitted in preparation for dialysis.
Family and friends came forward to be tested as potential living donors before news came just three weeks after Fiona joined the waiting list that that they had found a suitable donor and the transplant went ahead.
She said: “I got the call just minutes after my son’s fifth birthday party and the transplant surgery all went to plan.
“I was home six days later and things just got better and better. It’s quite unbelievable the change it’s made to my life and I have my donor to thank for that. If you support organ donation, I’d encourage you to join the register today and tell your family of your decision.”
Figures released as part of the ‘We Need Everybody’ campaign show that there are currently 4,345 people in Scotland who are living with a transplant, thanks to organ donors and their families. Currently, 45 per cent of the population in Scotland are on the donor register.