The Chronicle

My second chance at life

MUM TELLS OF DOUBLE TRANSPLANT – AND HER GRATITUDE TO DONOR

- By KATIE DICKINSON Reporter katie.dickinson@trinitymir­ror.com

A mum has told how a usually harmless pregnancy condition left her in need of a lifesaving double transplant.

Cheryl Simpson was expecting her third son, Ross, when she was diagnosed with gestationa­l diabetes at the age of 29.

For most mums, the condition disappears after the baby is born, but Cheryl’s diabetes remained.

The 51-year-old struggled with various complicati­ons and hypoglycae­mia for 22 years, injecting herself with lifesaving insulin four times every day.

But three years ago she faced her most devastatin­g news yet when doctors told her she was suffering kidney failure.

Now after making it through a combined kidney and pancreas transplant at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, Cheryl is lending her voice to this year’s Organ Donation Week appeal ‘Let’s Talk,’ encouragin­g people to discuss their wishes with their families.

Cheryl, who lives in Boldon with husband Bryan, was diagnosed at 29 years old with gestationa­l diabetes during her third pregnancy.

But even after giving birth to her son, her blood sugar levels were still low and she was ultimately told she would need insulin for the rest of her life.

Her consultant at South Tyneside District Hospital, Dr Wahid, arranged for her to be fitted with an insulin pump which, at first made a huge difference to her life and routine, keeping the diabetes stable.

Cheryl said: “I felt so much better but unfortunat­ely, three years ago, I was told that my kidneys were failing and I would need either a transplant or go onto dialysis. This was just devastatin­g.

“I was given the choice to go just for a kidney transplant but still have diabetes, or go for a double transplant - a kidney and pancreas transplant.

“This obviously carried more risks but it hopefully meant I would no longer be diabetic. I made the decision to go for both.”

Cheryl, who works as an administra­tor in the musculoske­letal x-ray department at the Freeman Hospital, was placed on the transplant waiting list in October 2014.

She waited for 14 months before her first call for transplant came in January 2016. But her hopes were dashed she was sent home after a few hours as the organs were not suitable.

In August 2016, a week before Cheryl’s 50th birthday, she received a second call and was already prepared for theatre when she had to be told that yet again, the organs were not suitable.

Cheryl says: “Although struggling physically, mentally the stress of waiting was so unbelievab­ly hard.

“Then eventually my third call came. After waiting for over two years, I was to be given the biggest gift that would change my life.

“After the first few days I started recovering well and already felt this energy I had never had for so long, but more importantl­y, I no longer had my diabetes and did not require any insulin at all. This made an unbelievab­le change to my life - I could not quite believe it.”

“The biggest thank you has to go to my donor and donor family for giving me a second chance at life for which I cannot thank them enough.”

The biggest thank you has to go to my donor and donor family for giving me a second chance at life Cheryl Simpson

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 ??  ?? Mum Cheryl Simpson said she could not believe the change to her life
Mum Cheryl Simpson said she could not believe the change to her life

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