Grace saved by father's kidney

[okarol]

Grace saved by father's kidney

The Chronicle, Toowoomba

21.04.2007

LAST Easter, four-year-old Grace Woodford was given the greatest gift of all the gift of life.

And it was her dad David who donated one of his kidney's to her in a life-saving operation to give her a new chance at living a normal life.

One year on, the now five-year-old bubbly girl is loving life and enjoying the unusual perks of having an extra kidney.

"She has named her new kidney Nancy' and she'll say to us Nancy wants McDonalds'," David chuckles. "Though we suspect she liked it beforehand, she's quite an interesting character," he said beaming.

Doctors noticed that both of Grace's kidneys had been significantly damaged when she was born five weeks premature at St Vincent's Hospital in Toowoomba.

She had the first of a dozen operations when she was just two days old and spent the next four weeks at Brisbane's Mater Mother's Hospital.

Grace then spent the next four years of her life in and out of the Mater Hospital.

"Then one of her check ups last year showed her condition was really serious and there was a rush for her to have a transplant," he said.

Grace underwent the life-saving transplant on April 19 last year.

"She will probably need another one or two transplants in her lifetime, but she is doing really well."

Today Grace is enjoying preparatory school in her hometown of 'Warwick and making life interesting for her dad, mum Wendy, sister Holly and brother Samuel.

"She loves to dress up and put on fashion parades for us," David said.

The brave little girl has also become accustomed to being a human pin cushion.

"She is really good with needles now. She jumps up on the chair, put her arm out and even tells the nurses how to do it," he laughed.

David and Wendy are forever grateful to the Mater Hospital.

"Without the great work of the Mater Hospital and doctors, she wouldn't have survived," David said.

The Mater Little Miracles Easter Appeal is running until the end of April and raises money to help care for little miracles like Grace. The 2.5metre tall Miracle Max mascot will be visiting Bendigo Bank, Margaret Street, on Tuesday to help raise funds for the worth cause.

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3730839&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

After her life-saving operation, Grace Woodford cheekily likes to use the perks of having her dad's kidney.