Patients have thanked NHS workers for giving them a new lease of life after a hospital in Glasgow performed a ‘remarkable’ 12 kidney transplants in seven days.
The transplants were made possible due to the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme (UKLKSS) which increases the number of people who can receive transplants.
The scheme, which launched in 2007, aims to help “difficult to match” patients who have friends and family willing to donate but not a compatible match due to blood group or tissue type.
Friends and family are then matched with other patients in need of an organ transplant, while their loved ones are matched with more suitable donors.
The 12 operations were performed at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital between Friday, September 15 and Friday, September 22.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde JB Russell HouseSusan Easson, senior charge nurse with renal services at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, has opened up about the “remarkable” week for transplants on the ward.
“What is more rewarding is that the transplants have taken place during Organ and Tissue Donation Week,” she said.
“The nature of transplanting is that the timing is incredibly unpredictable.
“Like most areas of surgery, a high degree of agility and hard work is required to perform these surgeries and to manage the recovery.
“I join these patients in extending my thanks to the teams involved,” she said.
Three of the operations involved kidneys from live donors, one of which was Carole Murphy.
Ms Murphy joined the sharing scheme with her friend of 40 years Maria Walsh who required a kidney transplant.
After joining the scheme, Ms Murphy was told she was not a match for Ms Walsh, but still hoped to help someone else.
Both women managed to find matches via the scheme, and both recovered on the renal ward just a few rooms apart.
Ms Walsh she would never be able to thank her friend enough for the “miracle” she has given her.
“Right from the start she said that she would donate to me and that, if she didn’t match, she would join the sharing scheme. It is an unbelievable gift. I also thank the altruistic donor of my kidney.
“Without their kindness and the scheme, we also wouldn’t be here,” she said.
Ms Murphy explained how easy the process was and how quickly the nine month process has been.
“We cannot describe the level of care and kindness that we have had from the transplant and nursing teams from start to finish.
“Both of us would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has cared for us on our journey and to the full renal ward team.
“They have been incredibly busy and yet gone above and beyond for us,” said Ms Murphy.
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