Husband receives life-saving kidney transplant from wife

By Izzy Hawksworth and Ciara Healy

A man who was given a life-saving kidney by his wife has told of how he will "never be able to repay her" for donating the organ.

Kieran Hodgson, 48, was given the organ by partner Emma Hodgson, 42, as he was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease - a hereditary condition where clusters of cysts grow in the body - around 15-years-ago.

Despite having the condition, Kieran previously had a "full and unrestricted life" but he started suffering from numbness and tingling in his legs, was extremely fatigued and was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.

Doctors then discovered that Kieran's kidney function was just 15% and he was placed on the deceased donor transplant list.

He was also given information about the living kidney donor scheme, where a family member, relative or friend can donate the organ to someone who they know, so Emma decided to get tested and give hers to her husband.

Kieran said that Emma has given him "the greatest gift that anyone can give someone" and that he will never be able to repay her.

He said: "Emma has given me the greatest gift that anyone can give someone - she’s given me life.

"Nothing I could do could ever repay her."

Emma also now says that the kidney transplant has made the couple realize that "life is for living" and that things like a bad day at work "aren't worth the stress."

She said: “You realize the things you normally worry about, like a bad day at work, aren’t worth the stress.

"Life is for living, and we’ve stopped waiting to do the things we always talked about."

The couple, of Barnsley, South Yorks., have two children and there is a chance that their daughter, Annalise, 16, has inherited the same kidney disease as Kieran.

So Kieran didn't want Emma to donate her kidney, in case Annalise needed a transplant of her own in the future.

But despite this, Emma stole the forms from Kieran's glovebox in his car and applied to be tested to find out if she would be a suitable donor.

She said: "It wasn’t even a thought process – it was more of an instant reflex.

"The sneaky little thing put it in his glovebox.

“I only found it by chance when I took the car out to pick up the kids. As soon as I saw it, I took control. I filled it out, booked the first test, and that was that."

Emma has joked that after the transplant in February, Kieran "can't really say no" when she asks for a new pair of Doc Marten shoes and that she now wins every argument.

She said: "I do have a bit of a Doc Martens addiction, so he can’t really say no when I ask for a new pair now.

"And I definitely win every argument these days."

Following the transplant, the couple have booked a holiday to Whitby, North Yorks., as they are waiting for Kieran to be cleared to travel abroad.

Kieran said: "Everything was on hold.

"All we could think about was the transplant date.

"We couldn't think about moving, booking a holiday or getting a new car, but now I've got some options back."

Kieran had the life-saving operation at the Sheffield Kidney Institute in Sheffield South Yorks., - where around 20 living donor kidney transplants take place every year.

Emma is now encouraging people to consider kidney donation and also wants to spread awareness of it.

She said: "Do it. Just do it.

"Words can’t describe the impact it has, not just on the recipient’s life, but on yours too.

"It makes you so grateful for your health and really puts everything into perspective.”

Caroline Basarab-Horwath, a living donor coordinator at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Living donors are true heroes and it is a privilege to be part of their journey.

"Seeing the impact of their gift firsthand is a reminder of the profound difference one person can make in another’s life."