"Our daughter's illness had completely changed our outlook on organ donation."
When Laura was nine years old, she received the gift of life from her dad, Matthew, who donated one of his kidneys to save his daughter's life.
Mum, Olga, from Birmingham, reflects on her family's journey at Birmingham Children's Hospital and is passionately encouraging everyone to register their organ donation decision this Organ Donation Week (23rd -29th September).
Olga explained: "Laura was four years old and getting ready to go on holiday to visit her grandparents. A couple nights before she was due to go, Matthew and I noticed something wasn't right.
“When Laura woke up one morning her eyelids were swollen. We thought it must be tiredness, but we took her to her GP just to be sure. When the GP took her urine sample, we were in complete shock to find her urine was bloody and had lots of protein."
The GP advised Olga and Matthew to take Laura straight to their local A&E.
Looking back on their first visit to the hospital, Olga said: "From then on, our lives completely changed. We did not expect to be in hospital as long as we did or for Laura to have such a serious condition."
Laura was diagnosed with Nephrotic syndrome, a condition that causes the kidneys to leak large amounts of protein into the urine. This can lead to a range of problems, including swelling of body tissues.
Olga said: "It started with her eyelids but then her whole body started to swell. She was initially given steroid medication, as most children with nephrotic syndrome usually respond well to steroids. However, Laura's illness was a rarer type, and the steroids were not working."
Laura was transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital to be treated in its specialist Renal Ward. During this time, Olga was in Heartlands Hospital having Laura's twin baby brothers.
Olga explained: "We were constantly travelling between hospitals trying to be there for both our babies and for Laura. It was an incredibly stressful time but the team at the Children's Hospital were incredible, they really looked after us. It felt like our second home."
Laura received care at the Children's Hospital for several years, having regular dialysis to control her condition. She also needed one of her kidney's removed.
She was responding well to treatment for the time being, but the family knew Laura would eventually need a kidney transplant.
Olga said: "Matthew and I jumped at the chance to be her donor, we knew we would be the closest match for her. In the end, Matthew's kidney was a better match so he became Laura's doner."
In February this year, Matthew underwent a procedure at the Queen Elizabeth (QE) Hospital and his kidney was blue-lighted to Laura at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Olga explained: "The procedure lasted several hours but as her Mum it felt like a lifetime. In the end, it was all worth it. Matthew recovered really well from his procedure. It took Laura some time to recover but now she is doing so well, our lives have completely changed.
"Now Laura can do things all her friends can do. She can go swimming and go on holiday without worrying about what she can eat. Her appetite has returned and she loves trying lots of new foods.
"She is in year 5 now and her school is so happy she is back, they have always said she is the glue that holds them together."
Olga added: "We just want to thank everyone at the Children's Hospital for everything they have done for our family. Dr O'Brien especially has been such an incredible support to us. We can't put into words how much she has helped us.
Dr Catherine O'Brien, Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist, said: “Laura and her family have been through some really tough times. Life on dialysis is really hard. We are absolutely delighted to see how well Laura is doing after her kidney transplant. It’s a privilege to witness how organ donation has transformed their lives.”
Following their journey at the Children's Hospital, Olga and Matthew have registered their organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donation website.
Olga added: "Before Laura, I didn't really want to donate my organs. To be honest, the thought of it scared me and I just didn't think it was something I wanted to do.
"Our daughter's illness has completely changed our outlook on organ donation. Now, if something happens to Matthew or me, we want our organs to be donated. We've seen first-hand the life-changing difference it makes."
Every year, around 30 children receive the Gift of Life at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
This Organ Donation Week, take five minutes to register your organ donation decision on www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
Research has shown that 9 out of 10 families will support organ donation if their loved one had confirmed their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Consent for organ donation across the whole of the UK has fallen to 61 per cent, so we need more people to support the decisions of their loved ones and agree to donation.
