'New lease of life' after 12-year wait for kidney
Gemma LouisA woman has described her kidney transplant after a 12-year wait as a "massive change for the good".
Gemma Louis had to endure four-hour sessions of dialysis, three times a week which impacted on family life and limited her work prospects.
After a successful transplant, the mother-of-two said she had "gone a bit crazy" booking trips abroad, and has been able to apply for a new post.
The 46-year-old from Chester-le-Street in County Durham, now wants to highlight the importance of signing up to the transplant register and informing loved ones of your wishes.
There are about 1,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant across north east England and Yorkshire.
The average wait is 16 months, but she had to wait years longer because the chances of her body rejecting a new organ were high.
The operation, at the Newcastle transplant centre was carried out a few month's ago and took some time to have an effect.
She said: "It was a bit lazy to start with, which is quite a common thing to happen after being on dialysis for so long, and needed a bit of kick start.
"But it's been a massive change for the good.
"The biggest thing is not having to juggle my life around dialysis - the sessions were four hours but with travel and waiting, that could run to six, three time a week.
"I sometimes had to sort childcare, and as I work full time, it was like having two jobs."
She works as an admin officer for the civil service and her employer was "very understanding" about her situation, but it still limited her options.
"I have now been able to move to a post I couldn't have applied for before because there's a bit of travel involved which I couldn't have done," she said.
"So the transplant has opened more doors, given me more opportunities."
While she was able to take holidays while undergoing dialysis, they were limited in terms of time away and destinations, but she has now booked a number of trips, including a cruise.
"I can't travel abroad for the first year, but I've gone a bit crazy booking things up for when I can," she added.
"I've so much to look forward to."
Gemma LouisAlthough adults in England are now considered to have agreed to be organ donors when they die, unless they have expressly opted out, their loved ones can overturn this.
Louis said: "The biggest thing is to make it very clear to your family and friends about what your wishes are so there'd be no doubt in their minds.
"And don't think that if you're elderly or ill that there is no point because your organs might not be useful, it's up to the specialist to decide."
Lynn Robson, specialist nurse in organ donation based at the Newcastle centre of the Northern Organ Donation Services Team said it was vital to share wishes with loved ones.
She said: "Every day someone will die waiting for an organ transplant, it's really important that you sign the register.
"But it's also very, very important to inform your loved ones and let them know what you want at the end of life, because a decision will have to be made immediately.
"One person can save up to nine people - it is giving the gift of life."
