County Durham Woman Donates Kidney to Stranger so Fiancé Can Get Transplant in Organ Swap Scheme
According to Kidney Care UK, approximately 3 million people in the UK suffer from chronic kidney disease, while it is estimated that there are between 40-45,000 premature deaths every year due to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
The UK Living Kidney sharing scheme is a charity enabling people to be “pooled” from people who have a 100% match kidney type for those requiring a kidney donor.
Vicki Robertson lives with her partner Kevin Taylor who suffers from CKD. At age 15, Kevin Taylor had been diagnosed with a rare blood disorder Wegener's granulomatosis. According to medical reports, Kevin’s kidney function is just 8%, causing him to rely on paralysis three times a day seven days a week. As a result, Vicki tried to donate her kidney to her beloved partner but because she was not a match, she decided to join the groundbreaking UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme donating her kidney to a stranger for Kevin to receive a Kidney in return.
Vicki, 36, said: “I was disappointed that I couldn’t give my kidney directly to Kevin. "But I’ll be helping someone else and by doing that, Kevin also gets the chance of a life with some kind of normality," she continued.
A valuable lesson in love and sacrifice is shown with Vicki giving away her kidney organ so that her fiancé Kevin can have a normal functioning life. Kidney failure is a serious disease that many people suffer from.
The couple will be planning their wedding once the transplant goes according to plan. We wish Vicky and Kevin all the best!
