Publish date: 3 October 2023
Meet Alison.
The 61-year-old grandmother has had a challenging journey since being diagnosed with Polycystic kidney disease over 16 years ago. Cysts were found on her kidneys and liver during an endoscopy procedure but her condition was kept manageable until 2018 when she required dialysis.
In 2020, she had one of her kidneys removed and later caught Covid. Her husband and three daughters were brought in to discuss end of life care and Alison was placed on a ventilator, to give her body the best chance to recover.
She began responding from the treatment and was eased off the ventilator and fitted with a tracheotomy.
After a long and painful recovery, Alison slowly regained her strength and learnt how to talk and walk again, and in July 2021, Alison and her husband Rick renewed their vows after 35 years of marriage, surrounded by their children, grandchildren, and family.
This year, after 17 previous donor offers, Alison received a new kidney and underwent the transplant in March this year.
Since the procedure, Alison’s quality of life has greatly improved.
She said: “My kidney transplant has massively improved my life. No more dialysis, which is life-changing in itself. I now have more time and energy to spend with my family, going out for trips together and doing the things we couldn’t do before.
“I can never thank enough the gift of life the donor’s family has given me. It has totally changed mine and my family’s life and I will forever be grateful.”
Alison and her family have been strong advocates for organ donation and kidney disease research since diagnosis in 2007 and have since raised over 30k for charities and hospitals like Kidney Research UK and the kidney unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital.
Find out more about organ donation and register your decision here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/