“It just takes one person to change a life,” said Sophie Warren, a hairdresser from Loftus who is one of more than 8,000 people in the UK awaiting a transplant and is urging communities to register their organ donation decision.
Sophie, 27, was diagnosed with lupus nephritis in 2018, a serious autoimmune condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack the kidneys, leading to kidney failure.
The condition left Sophie dependent on dialysis for three years.
In 2021, she received a life-changing kidney transplant from her mother, but following organ rejection earlier this year, she is once again undergoing dialysis while awaiting another transplant.
She said: “I am currently waiting to be reactivated on the transplant list but I have been receiving treatment for four months now after two attempts at preventative treatment failed.
It is hard at the minute as I get treatment three mornings a week at The James Cook University Hospital and even though my treatment takes three hours, it is a five-hour round trip to and from the hospital.
“I work two days a week as a hairdresser and have worked in the same salon for 10 years now.”
Sophie is also a mum to a one-year-old son. The condition has left her struggling with persistent tiredness, joint pain and sickness, making everyday tasks harder and spending time with her young son much more challenging.
While sharing her journey, another youngster from Guisborough who is awaiting a transplant had a similar story to share.
Will Postgate, 26, has Alport syndrome, a genetic condition that caused kidney failure and hearing loss.
He previously received a life-changing kidney transplant from a donor named Susan, who happened to be his mother’s colleague in 2022.
The transplant gave him around three years of good health. Following the failure of that transplant, he has returned to dialysis and has now been waiting almost a year for a second kidney transplant.
He said:
Waiting for a transplant just puts a complete pause on your life; your life gets taken over by hospital trips and dialysis every other day. I personally spend about 20 hours a week at the hospital receiving treatment so I can live as close to a normal life as possible. I cannot enjoy simple things like going on holiday, as I cannot spend more than two days away from dialysis. I have to watch what I eat and how much I drink.
“I walk around with a plastic tube hanging out of my chest, so I cannot bathe or shower properly. I had to quit my job at the start of this year because the physical demands were too much for my body. I had to give up my house and move back in with my parents because I could no longer work. It has been very tough these past 12 months.”
Sophie and Will, who are still under the care of teams at The James Cook University Hospital, are now urging communities to register their decision and sign up as organ donors.
Sophie said: “Signing up as an organ donor is an amazing gift. I’m a registered organ donor myself and, although I may not be able to donate my kidneys, I hope that one day I can help give someone else a better quality of life, just as my mum did for me.”
Will added: “Although it is a personal decision, I would encourage people to be open-minded because you’re not just ticking a box on the register; you’re potentially giving someone years of their life back.”
Specialist nurse Vicki Ness, who has been looking after Sophie and Will, said: “I am incredibly proud of Sophie and Will for sharing their journeys.
“Every day, lives are lost with people dying while waiting for an organ transplant, but most of us would accept an organ if we needed one.
“It only takes two minutes to register your decision. Two minutes now could save up to nine lives.”
Individuals can register their decision by visiting the NHS Organ Donor Register website.