Woman given kidneys from mother and father

A woman whose life was saved when her father donated a kidney ten years ago has now had a life-saving transplant from her mother.

Telegraph.co.uk

The second kidney donation marks the end of a long journey for Julie Robson and her family.

Ten years ago Julie's father Bob, 56, donated his kidney, but her body sadly began to reject the organ.

And the health complications that followed eventually lead to the 34-year-old having to cancel her wedding to fiance Mark.

Everything was planned, from the wedding cake to chilled champagne, but two days before the big day Julie, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, collapsed and was taken to hospital.

However, disaster soon turned to hope when her mother Carol, 55, was found to be a perfect donor-match, and plans for a second operation were put in motion.

To add to the family's joy, Slaley Hall hotel in Northumberland agreed to reschedule Julie and Mark's wedding free of charge, and the bride-to- be's condition stabilized enough for them to tie the knot in September last year.

Now, Mrs Robson is looking forward to a complete end to her health fears as all signs indicate the operation with her mother at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital was a complete success.

Mrs Robson said: "It was very emotional. We were on different wards before the operation but it was just down the corridor.

"I don't remember too much about waking up, but the nurses said I was asking how my mum was six or seven times as I was coming round.

"It's different now because the surgery this time was done through a keyhole.

"When my dad had his operation they almost had to cut him in half. So he keeps saying now that he wishes my mum could've gone first."

UK Transplant, the NHS body which supervises organ transplants across the country, said there have been only 15 cases of people receiving kidneys from both parents since records began in the late 1960s.

In total, there have been some 8,000 living kidney transplants throughout that time.

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