Kidney transplant for mum after 20 year wait

[okarol]

Kidney transplant for mum after 20 year wait
CLAIRE STILL - 05 June 2008
A BRAVE woman has given renewed hope to thousands of patients waiting for transplants.

She has been given a kidney after a 20-year wait.

Tracey Feldman, of Earlswood Gardens, Clayhall, had the operation at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead in December. She is still recovering.

Last week, the 42-year-old appeared in the Recorder's flashback section which told of her marriage to Paul Feldman in 1988 after suffering kidney failure and lupus.

She called to say they had since divorced, but also to share her inspiring story.

She said: "I would like to give hope to others on the transplant waiting list. I may have waited 20 years, but I got one in the end.

"Some people only wait a week or a few months, but for others like me, it can take years.

"I haven't had any rejection yet, although I am on anti-rejection drugs. It's made my quality of life so much better."

Tracey used to have dialysis three times a week before her transplant and son Adam, 16, would help.

"It's made his quality of life better as well. He doesn't have to help me now.

"He's at Westminster College studying catering," she added.

Because of her condition, Tracey has not been able to work and years of dialysis have taken its toll.

She developed heart trouble.

Four years ago she had a triple heart bypass and still suffers shortness of breath, but nothing can take away her relief at getting the longed-for transplant.

During her agonising wait, she received six false alarms saying a kidney had been found for her.

Sadly, none of them were a match.

Tracey said: "I was at home when I got the call about this one. I just thought it'd be like all the rest. I was so happy when the nurse told me this was it. I just burst into tears."

Tracey, who lives with her son, has a partner, Mark Mayers.

http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsIlford&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsilford&itemid=WeED05%20Jun%202008%2009%3A14%3A41%3A230

[kimcanada]

wow, hard to believe , after reading that story you would think that education about organ donation would be a top priority

[okarol]

Her son is 16 and she was on waiting for 20 years for a kidney, so was she on dialysis when she had her son? That's a story itself.

[Chris]

Wow, 20 years on the waiting list.