Transplant lifeline is the ultimate sacrifice

Jul 3 2009 by Julie Watt, Dumfries Standard Friday

NICOLA and Lindsay Gemmel always felt they were a perfect match – now they want transplant doctors to prove it.

When Nicola’s kidneys began to fail due to a genetic condition called polycystic kidney disease her husband offered his immediately.

“It is the ultimate sacrifice,” the mum of two from Dumfries said.

“It is hard to explain the bond there is between us. He could save my life.”

Forty-three-year old Nicola has suffered from high blood pressure since she was a teenager.

And during a routine blood test at the age of 21 she was told both her kidneys were failing.

She said: “I was told I had polycystic kidneys in 1987. Cysts grow on the kidneys and basically suffocate them. I inherited it from my gran and mum. My sister also has it but luckily she is unaffected.”

She added: “I was told I would need a transplant at some time in the future but I was okay until about a year ago when I noticed I was becoming increasingly tired.

“I would come home from work and have to sleep for a couple of hours – that’s when the doctors told me I would need both my kidneys taken out.”

Last month Nicola was taken to Western General Hospital in Glasgow where she had both her kidneys removed.

“If you saw me before the operation you would have thought I was pregnant,” she said. “My stomach had swollen so much by the size of my kidneys.

“In fact, when the doctors took them out they said they had seen smaller babies.”

When doctors removed Nicola’s kidneys they weighed a massive four kilos each.

Nicola added: “Since the operation I have been on dialysis for four hours, three times a week at the renal unit in DGRI.

“At the moment we are waiting on Lindsay passing a number of tests to see if he can be a match or not.”

Despite this being incredibly rare for couples to have matching organs if they are not from the same family the devoted couple, who have been married for 25 years, are living in hope.

But modest Lindsey does not think he is doing anything special.

The 46-year-old said: “I just want to do anything I can to help Nicola. She is my wife and I love her. Of course I would give her one of my kidneys. It was not a difficult decision for me. I would do it for any of my kids if I had to. I want Nicola to be fit and healthy and to always be here.”

He added: “There are also lots of tests to make sure I don't have any antibodies which will attack Nicola’s body – these tests have to be done right up to the transplant.

“Our family have been through a lot and having Nicola in hospital last month to have her kidneys removed was difficult on the family.

“But we are strong and always look to the positives. We are hopeful I will be a match.”

And he is urging more locals to register to help save someone else’s life.

Figures from the UK Transplant website show that between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, 3,513 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 1,854 donors.

But 1,000 people die every year – three a day – in need of a transplant, so it is more important than ever for people to discuss their donation wishes and join the NHS Organ Donor Register.