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Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: News Articles => Topic started by: okarol on June 08, 2008, 11:31:12 AM
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EXCLUSIVE: Kidney transplant sister saves brother's life
By Hannah Marsh
A LOVING sister saved her brother's life when she donated a kidney in a life-saving operation.
David Webber, 42, was diagnosed with kidney failure five years ago, but as he gradually became more ill, his sister Jenny Tuck, 49, asked if there was something she could do.
And after a gruelling session of blood tests, they discovered they were a perfect match.
The pair went into St George's hospital in Tooting for final tests last Saturday and went under the knife on Wednesday morning.
Speaking from his hospital bed David said: "I'm very proud of Jenny, of course I am. She's been a very brave girl and there'll be a very nice letter coming her way – I just haven't had time to write it yet!"
And he added: "And she'll never have to buy me a Christmas present in her life again."
Jenny said that the most emotional moment was when she came round after the operation to see her brother lying in the bed next to her.
She said: "He was awake before me and I looked over and he sort of waved at me across the recovery room. It was emotional when he walked in to see me when we'd been moved onto separate wards as well."
And brave Jenny said that she'd had to face her two kids, Charlene, 25, and Liam, 23, before making the decision.
She said: "I had to discuss it with them, because if I've given my kidney to my brother, then if they ever need one I obviously can't donate again.
"They knew I was worried about it but they said if it was them they would donate to each other if they were a match."
But Jenny reckons she wouldn't change a thing.
She said: "We talked about it a lot and I spent a week in Madeira with David and his family.
"When we were on holiday I realised how ill he was and any reservations I had just went.
"David tends to put a brave face on things and I don't think that any of us really knew how ill he was.
"I knew I was doing the right thing then."
Before the operation David, of Faygate, was taking 26 pills a day and during the last two weeks he finally succumbed to dialysis as doctors tried to get him as stable as possible.
But speaking from the hospital he said he felt great.
He said: "I feel fine, I had a little bit of rejection today but that's easy for them to sort out and hopefully they've said I might be able to go home tomorrow (Wednesday June 4)."
* Last Updated: 06 June 2008 2:41 PM
http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/EXCLUSIVE-Kidney-transplant-sister-saves.4161367.jp