Highland sisters’ joy at kidney success
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A WOMAN has spoken of her sister’s ‘amazing gift’ ten years on from the kidney transplant which transformed her life.
The close bond between Donella Gray and Stella Ross was further strengthened in 2009 when Donella donated her kidney to Stella, whose kidney function had dropped to just 11 per cent.
A decade on, Donella, (53) from Shetland, and Stella, (54) who lives in Inverness, have shared their story in support of a week-long awareness drive to raise awareness of the importance of living donation.
More than 800 people in Scotland have helped others by donating a kidney in the last decade.
A healthy person can lead a completely normal life with one kidney, and one altruistic donor can start a ‘chain’ of transplants, meaning up to three people can receive a transplant as a result of that person’s gift.
Stella was in her early 40s when blood tests showed that her kidneys were functioning at only 25 percent. Living donation was raised as a potential route, and Donella came forward to be tested.
“Doctors kept an eye on my kidney function, monitoring me regularly. But my levels continued dropping.”
Stella’s kidney function fell to 11 per cent so things moved very quickly, with Donella undertaking the tests required, in the hope the transplant would go ahead before Stella needed to start dialysis.
Stella said: “It was an emotional time for us both but we got so much support from the doctors and renal team.
“On the morning of the operation I told her she didn’t have to go through with it if she didn’t want to and all she said was, ‘of course I’m going to do it’.”
Speaking about how she felt in the lead up to the operation, Donella said: “Emotionally, it was all about what I could do for my sister.
“Seeing her live ten healthy years since the transplant gives me great hope that it’ll last her another ten or maybe even 20 years.”
For further information on the living donation process, visit livingdonationscotland.org
