Jane Johnson proved blood is definitely thicker than water when she agreed to be a living donor to help save the life of her cousin, Nick Smith. Chief reporter Hayley Robinson reports.

Nick Smith and his cousin Jane Johnson have always been close but their bond is stronger than ever after she gave him the greatest gift of all – life.

The 45-year-old, of Merlin Close, Sittingbourne, was put on the transplant list in August 2011 because he was facing possible renal failure due to a kidney disease known as IGA nephropathy.

The condition, which he was diagnosed with at the age of 26, causes symptoms including fatigue and blood loss when urinating due to the deterioration of the organ’s ability to remove wastes and extra fluid from the body.

Function levels are measured using a glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Over 90 is considered healthy but by this point his was down to 23. Nine and he would need dialysis.

After hearing the news, a friend put himself forward as a living donor. He was a match but was ruled out six weeks before the operation was due to go ahead after further tests revealed an underlying medical condition.

By this point, the businessman, who used to run D ‘n’ J Smith newsagents, East Street, Sittingbourne, was struggling to cope with everyday life.

“I was lethargic and I had no energy,” he said. “It was even an effort to make a drink.”

“It got to the point where I thought, ‘yes a transplant can go wrong, I could die – but if you don’t have it you could die anyway’.”

The following week, Mrs Johnson volunteered to see if she could help, but it wasn’t all plain sailing.

Two separate blood tests found her kidney function levels below 81 – the expected rate for a woman of her age.

The 46-year-old, of Sterling Road, Sittingbourne, said: “The co-ordinator called and said it’s a no-no. I was desperate to do it so they did a nuclear medicine exam instead and the results came back as 102. Nick and I both cried. It was a very emotional day.”

After undergoing CT scans, X-rays and heart examinations, the operation took place at Guy’s Hospital in London on October 22.

Thankfully it was a success.

Mr Smith, who is chairman of the Sittingbourne Retail Association, said: “The hospital says I’m doing really well. It’s changed my life completely. There is a real difference in my energy levels, I’m more alert and happier. I just can’t thank Jane enough.”

The exam secretary, who works at Fulston Manor School, said: “It’s an amazing feeling to think that I did something like that. I always joke that it’s my kidney and he asks ‘at what point does it become mine’?”

In an ironic twist, the procedure may have even saved her life. She added: “A polyp was found on my gallbladder. They said they will monitor it because it could develop into cancer. If I hadn’t had the op I wouldn’t have known about it.”

• Transplants enable about 2,700 people to take on a new lease of life in the UK every year.
• Donors are often a close relative but may also be individuals who are not related such as a partner or close friend.
• Kidney transplants are the most commonly performed. Transplants of the heart, liver and lungs are also regularly carried out.
• In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there is no minimum age limit specified within the Human Tissue Act 2004 for a person to be considered as a living kidney donor. However, the majority of donors will be over the age of 18.
• Operation risks for donors include infections (eg chest, wound or urine) and, more rarely, bleeding or blood clots. There is a very small risk of death estimated at one in 3,000.
• Studies have shown that donors live longer than the average population. This is because they are selected on the basis of good health and are thoroughly screened.

*Source of information - www.organdonation.nhs.uk