40 years ago, Kathleen donated one of her kidneys to Cheryl, who was just five years old at the time.
Cheryl, now 45, was nearly two years old before doctors discovered she’d been born with poor kidney function. X-rays showed that both kidneys were on her right side, were too small, and weren’t working properly. She also had very high levels of urea in her blood.
This helped to explain the many health issues she’d endured as a baby.
Kathleen, Cheryl’s mother, kept a detailed diary throughout her daughter’s early years, documenting the ups and downs of her kidney treatment journey and her eventual life-saving transplant.
“Her appetite was poor, she would become distressed if encouraged to put weight on her legs and she didn’t like lying on her tummy,” says Kathleen, who also recalls Cheryl’s colouring as being “yellowish”.
Unable to sit up unsupported until she was at least nine months old, Cheryl’s milk teeth developed more slowly than normal, while a lack of calcium in her bones caused renal rickets.
As time went on, Cheryl’s kidney function continued to deteriorate so, shortly before her fourth birthday, she began continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) via a permanent cannula fitted in her stomach.
“Cheryl’s bedroom looked a bit like a hospital room with all the equipment and supplies needed for her dialysis,” says Kathleen, a retired NHS worker. “But she was such a happy little girl – always smiling.”
With a kidney transplant now the only long-term option, Kathleen didn’t have to think twice about donating one of hers.
After tests confirmed she was a suitable donor, the transplant finally went ahead on 1 November 1983, at what is now the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
The operation was a success and just over three weeks later, Cheryl was allowed home – much to the delight of her older sister, Katrina.
Despite everything she went through, Cheryl believes the challenges she faced as a little girl may have benefited her in the long run.
“I think it’s made me a stronger person and I can take on what life throws at me,” she says. “I’ve been lucky.”
Four decades on, Kathleen still marvels at Cheryl’s sunny, uncomplaining outlook.
“I’m so proud of the way she’s dealt with everything,” says Kathleen. “When I looked back at my diaries and read everything she’s been through, it made me realise how ill she actually was. But we just got on with things and, through all that, Cheryl built up an amazing resilience.”
“I think about how lucky we are to have had all this time,” says Cheryl, a supermarket customer services assistant in Edinburgh. “Mum’s kidney has lasted so long and I’ll always be really grateful.”
Kathleen adds, “Our bond is incredible. She’ll always be my wee girl, even though she is now in her 40s.”
Emma donated her kidney to a stranger eight years ago after first seeing a story about non-directed donation on TV four years previously.
ReadJoyce thought that she was too old to donate a kidney, before learning there was no upper age limit for donating.
ReadMandy donated one of her kidneys to her younger cousin Lou, who was diagnosed with kidney problems when she was two years old.
Read"I don’t consider myself to be a hero or brave. I just did what I was brought up to do – to help others."
ReadJulie worked hard to stay fit and healthy while she was preparing to donate a kidney to her nephew.
Read"At the beginning it seemed like a difficult decision to make, but since the operation I don’t have any regrets."
ReadTessa believes that donating a kidney to a stranger is one of the best decisions she's ever made.
ReadLynn was 75 when she donated a kidney altruistically. "I knew I wanted to do it if I was capable of doing so."
Read“You don’t need to be a superhero, you don’t need to be a mega star of any sort. It’s something that normal people just like me can do."
ReadLaura knew she would donate a kidney to her sister if she needed it. When the time came, she found the process absolutely worth it.
ReadMatt's dream of joining the police was shattered by an unexpected diagnosis of kidney disease, but his mother's kidney donation allowed him to thrive and pursue new dreams.
Read"I've learnt a lot about myself and my own health – I would do it again in a heartbeat (if I had another kidney to spare!)"
Read"I believe that if you are in a position to help someone else less fortunate than yourself, then you should do so."
ReadEvery kidneyversary deserves a celebration, but in 2024 Elaine marked a particularly poignant milestone – 10 years since she donated a kidney to her eldest daughter.
Read"I feel immeasurably better in myself knowing I have been able to give my brother the gift of a healthy life."
ReadDennis is keen to show people that you can still live your life as normal and achieve great things after donating a kidney.
ReadWhen Ali heard that a former colleague was waiting for a kidney transplant, he knew within minutes that he would offer one of his.
Read"My mum needed a kidney, and I didn’t need both of mine. When I heard that, I didn't have any hesitation."
ReadKathryn faced life-changing kidney failure after being diagnosed with the rare disease, IgA vasculitis.
ReadMarianne has seen first hand the benefits that kidney donation can bring to a family, and feels blessed that she was able to donate a kidney to her brother.
ReadBen felt drained by kidney disease for over 12 years before his cousin gave him a second chance at life by donating his kidney.
ReadJulie donated to her son and knows first hand that donating an organ doesn’t just save a person. It saves a family.
ReadAnne donated into the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme so that her brother could receive a kidney transplant.
Read"Within both the Jain and Hindu faiths benevolence to others is supposed to be a key principle. What could be a greater act of benevolence than transforming someone’s life by giving them part of yourself?"
Read"If I had more Kidneys to give, I'd be donating to anyone who needed one."
ReadTrainee teacher Mark is grateful for the life-saving kidney transplant from his brother that put him back on track for life and his career.
ReadSheldon & Hayley watched their daughter Daisy-May go from a shock diagnosis of kidney failure to dialysis, then transplant, in an emotional rollercoaster lasting 16 months.
ReadMy donor gave me a life to live for. I have done things I had never considered doing whilst on dialysis.
Read"If I had another kidney to spare, I would donate in a heartbeat. It was life changing for my husband, and for me as a person."
ReadDavid is just an average Joe. A motorcycling, 54-year-old father and grandfather. And 6 years ago, he donated one of his kidneys to someone who needed it more than he did.
Read"Giving a small part of me that I didn’t need to someone else would make little difference in my life, but a huge difference in theirs – it was an easy decision for me to make."
ReadLiz's family struggled at first with her determination to donate her kidney to someone unrelated to her.
Read"I donated a kidney to my dad 10 years ago, aged 25. To me, it was a no brainer."
ReadSarah had seen the life-changing difference donating a kidney could have, and immediately knew it was something she wanted to do.
ReadI would not feel as comfortable in my own skin as I do now if I had not donated my kidney.
ReadPete’s kidney gave me my life back and gave my son Edward a mum with energy and vitality.
ReadWhether you’ve already decided to donate a kidney, or you are interested in finding out more about the process and what it involves, we’re here to answer any questions you might have.
