Father donates kidney to save daughter’s life

WHEN the doctors first said, ‘kidney failure’ to uMhlanga resident, Lee Kirkpatrick, she felt her life was coming to an end. The hospital visits became more frequent for dialysis treatments and the stays, longer, a transplant became the best option to save her life.

However, her father, Paul, remained unmoved and positive, he stepped forward to donate his kidney to Lee, after other transplants were deemed unsuitable. The duo recently completed a successful kidney transplant at St Augustine’s Hospital

“‘You hate to see your kids suffer so you’d rather take their pain than for them to go through it. I was in a lot of pain the first few days after and the operation, probably the worst I’ve ever felt in my life, but I’d do it all over again to save my daughter’s life. When I was wheeled out of ICU, the nurse took me over to see Lee in her ward, I couldn’t talk, I broke down in tears because I saw how happy she was.

“It was so emotional, after seven years of suffering, to know your baby girl has a second chance at life is the most rewarding feeling ever. After the article appeared in the paper, so many people stopped me and told me how our story had inspired them to become transplant donors. It was fantastic,” he said.

For Lee, the second chance at life is something she can’t put into words.

“No money can buy this happiness. I was at a point in my life where I had given up and my dad has made me rediscover the joy in everyday which is extremely special. I don’t think I could ever pay him back for what he did for me, not in a million years. I’m so blessed and thankful. At the beginning of the operation, I was so nervous, nervous about not waking, nervous for my dad, because he was in surgery for almost eight hours.

“When I woke up after my surgery, I immediately felt the difference. My skin lightened, my hair felt different, it was surreal. It’s hard to put into words but to go from feeling sick everyday to finding a new lease on life is wonderful. I just want to thank the surgeons at the hospital for what they did for me and my boyfriend, Ryan, who has been my rock, supporting me always and being with me every step of the way. My sister, Toni, was also amazing, and
took two weeks off work to nurse my dad and to God, without whom, this would not have been possible,” she said.