I was a young 22 year old female when I was diagnosed with chronic reflux nephritis. What did this all mean? Was I going to die or would I get better? The specialist advised me that for the moment I was ok, however, at some stage, I would most likely get sicker and need a kidney transplant. Wow, this was a huge blow to me. At the time, I was married and at the point of thinking about having a family. No, I was advised. This is not wise in your circumstances. Because in my situation, my body was holding in protein and I was losing calcium. This would not be good for the fetus, myself or the both of us as holding in protein in pregnancy can lead to toxaemia. Or better known as pre-eclampsia which has several risk factors involved when thinking of having a baby. So I underwent a tubal ligation which meant I wouldn't be able to have children, however, this reduced my risks of other problems occurring with my body seeing I had this serious kidney complaint.

It will be 32 years in June this year since receiving my transplant and I'm now enjoying semi-retirement in Queensland which is rather ironic as my transplant came from someone in Queensland. I was born in Melbourne and it is only since mid-November last year (2019) that I relocated to Redcliffe. I've wanted to move here for about the past 10 years or so, however, my working life and family has kept me in Melbourne for all those years.

I'm now 63 years young and very grateful to that special person and their family who would have had to make a heart wrenching decision all those years ago to allow their loved one to pass onto a total stranger a part of their body. In my case, it was a kidney that has and will for years to come given me in the true sense, "the gift of life". Without it, I wouldn't be here and be able to share my story.