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Friends Story - Jacki & Laury

 “A friend in need, is a friend indeed”

 In 1987, Jacki (20), made a pledge to a new friend Laury (27) that if she ever needed a kidney to treat her genetic kidney condition she would donate one of hers. Some 13 years later, Laury’s condition worsened. Jacki had not forgotten her promise, and true to her pledge and without Laury’s knowledge, began being tested for her compatibility as a donor.

Everything was fine, and in May 2001, Jacki (now 33), became the second WA donor to undergo a new surgical technique where her kidney was removed and transplanted into Laury (now 40) at Royal Perth Hospital. The surgeons performed a laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (also called “key hole surgery”) on Jacki, a technique that was previously used in WA to remove diseased kidneys, and the operation was successful for both of them.

Jacki’s urologist said the procedure was less traumatic for patients than the conventional method, where the kidney was removed after a big incision was made from the lower back to the front of the abdomen. The keyhole surgery required only small incisions and the kidney was removed through another incision in the lower abdomen. 

Laury said “Although I had never asked Jacki, she had offered to give me a kidney so many years ago, and when my condition deteriorated all these years later, she secretly went to her GP and got the ball rolling - it was just the most amazing thing. I still can’t get over it. I will never be able to thank her enough. Our families are forever joined with a special bond, and I call Jacki’s kids my “kidney kids”.

Jacki had discussed her wishes with her husband and children and none of them wanted “Aunty Laury” to continue living a life on dialysis or worse. Because of their special love for Laury, a family decision was made to go ahead. Jacki said “All I can say is it was something I needed to do, it was the right thing to do”.

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