Public healthcare Story
Transplant patient dies 38 years on5:00AM Tuesday October 16, 2007
By Maggie McNaughton
New Zealand's longest surviving kidney transplant patient has died.
Iris Wilkinson died in Auckland last Thursday aged 87. She received her kidney transplant at Auckland Hospital in 1969, aged 49.
Her daughter Cherie Croker described her mother, whose funeral was held yesterday in Remuera, as a very determined woman.
"It was a remarkable achievement. Her kidney transplant lasted nearly 38 years ... they only transplant one and she was very lucky that she got a good one and she looked after it and did everything the doctor said to. She's a real tribute to Auckland Hospital and their services and it also brings in to the public mind the importance of people donating organs."
She said her mother had kidney disease and was on dialysis before receiving her transplant.
"It was on the afternoon of my 21st birthday that the hospital rang and said we've got a kidney for you. And of course there was going to be a party that night and she didn't want to miss that and she said, 'I'll only come if it's going to be a perfect match' and by golly it was. It was very good."
She said her husband had a kidney transplant nearly two years ago. "He said to them [doctors] his mother-in-law had a good run."
She said the doctors were amazed at the way her mother recovered following the transplant and continued to keep good health.
"She lived a normal life. She spent the last three years of her life in a rest home due to other, unrelated medical problems."
She said her mother took extra good care of her health. "She always followed the doctor's instructions, she always took her medication and she was careful with her diet and she never drank unboiled water."
email author Maggie McNaughton at
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