Mum's kidney promise fulfilled
THE mother of an ill toddler has gone through with her promise to give her daughter a kidney.
Nicola Johnson told the Mercury last January that she would donate an organ to her daughter Rhianna, now 19-months old.
The youngster has been in and out of hospital since she was born and only had 10 per cent function in her kidneys. This resulted in daily doses of dialysis and hindered Rhianna’s mobility.
In January, Nicola said: “It’s only when you need an organ that you realise how important donation is.
“There are so many things to consider but I would do anything for my daughter so giving her a kidney required no thought at all.
“She won’t get better until she gets a new kidney.”
The operation went ahead eight weeks ago in Newcastle and the family were together for Christmas day.
Nicola said it was great to all be together for the day and that Rhianna was one of the smallest children to undergo a kidney transplant in the hospital’s history.
Nicola’s kidney was removed at the Freeman Hospital before being transported in packed ice to the
RoyalVictoria Infirmary where surgeons inserted it into Rhianna.
Rhianna still requires medication and has to drink a litre of fluid a day to keep the new kidney hydrated.