Donating my kidney has given mum her second chance in life

Published on 07/08/2012 12:00

A MOTHER and son are on the road to recovery after he gave her the life-saving gift of one of his kidneys.

Daniel Autumn offered to donate the organ to mum Carolyne Douglas in a bid to end the suffering caused by a degenerative condition that forced her to undergo hours of gruelling dialysis three times a week.

Following a successful transplant operation at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the pair are recuperating at home in Quarrybank Close, with Carolyne already feeling the benefit of her new kidney.

Daniel, 25, said: “Everything’s fine. The operation went really well and we’re getting better.

“Mum’s already started to feel the effects and says she feels better than she has done in years.

“She wants to get out and do stuff, but she can’t just yet as she’s had major surgery. All I wanted was to see her feeling that way. To give her a second chance is what it’s all been about.

“The recovery takes a couple of months but there’s a small improvement every day.”

In the run-up to the operation, which took place on July 18, Daniel featured in the Evening News after it emerged that Heriot-Watt University had refused to allow him to defer payment of £1800 in fees for his psychology course despite his pleas for help.

He had planned on working over the summer to pay off the bill, but it became apparent he would be too unwell to do so if the operation went ahead as planned.

But after learning of his plight, kind-hearted readers donated more than £1500 towards the cost of the fees, which had been due as Daniel had to retake his second year.

By the time he returns to university in September, he is hoping to be at full strength.

“Words can’t describe how thankful I am to the people that donated the money,” he added. “I am overwhelmed by how generous and kind-hearted people have been.

“Now it’s over and we are both on the mend I don’t really have any bad feeling towards the finance people at the 
university. They could have been more understanding, but I’m just happy my mum is alive and I can continue with my course.”

Following the operation, Daniel stayed in hospital for four nights while Carolyne returned home after a week. She had to return to hospital briefly after a “small hiccup” with her new kidney, but doctors have assured her the issue was common and there was no cause for alarm.

Mother-of-four Carolyne, who worked in a food outlet before she was forced to give up work due to her ill health, said her son’s generosity could add 25 years to her life, with dialysis now a memory.

She added: “It is amazing, it’s just unbelievable that everything has worked out so well. It is a real happy ending. I am so thankful to Daniel, he was so brave.

“I’d also like to thank the public for raising the money so he can carry on at university. It’s incredibly kind and it has restored my faith in human nature.”

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