THE giving and receiving of the 'gift of life' is the most precious Christmas present of all.

For Alyson Symons organ donation has brought normality back to her life at a time when her daily existence was bound by the restrictions of being on dialysis.

Alyson was just 10 years old when she was diagnosed with HSP, an auto-immune condition which eventually damaged her kidneys. Although she was on medication, she was put on dialysis after her 21st Birthday.

Ultimately, though, the only way for her to live a normal life was to have a kidney transplant.

Fortunately, tests revealed her father, David, was a match but after '14 wonderful years' the kidney he donated to his daughter began to fail and the progression of her condition prompted her to be put back on to the kidney transplant waiting list.

There are currently 5,029 people waiting for a kidney transplant, but the prospect of paired donation brought the family fresh hope. Although they already knew Alyson's mum, Joyce, wasn't a match, paired donation gave mother and daughter the opportunity to embark on the transplant process together.

While the 64-year-old didn't directly give her own daughter the gift of life - someone else did and, in return, Joyce has now helped someone else by donating one of her kidneys in the process.

The process of paired/pooled donation is for those who are in need of a kidney and have someone close to them who is willing to donate but they are incompatible with each other because of their blood group or tissue type.

However, it may be possible for the patient to be matched with another donor and recipient pair in the same situation and for the donor kidneys to be 'exchanged' or 'swapped.'

The paired scheme allows a computer programme within NHSBT (NHS Blood and Transplant) to 'match' couples in this situation and enable the two donated kidneys to be 'swapped.' But the person who is donating a kidney does not do so until there is a suitable kidney identified for their relative/friend so they will only donate if their friend/relative will be receiving a transplant at the same time.

Once they are registered in the paired/pooled scheme as a donor-recipient pair when both their assessments are complete, NHSBT performs a 'matching run' four times a year (quarterly) between all the donor-recipient pairs in the scheme using the computer programme which has been specially designed to work out the best number and combination of potential transplants.

Alyson, who works as a counter clerk for the local post office in Otley, recalls the moment they received the call: "I was at home getting ready for work when I got the call to say we had been matched on the paired donation list. Mum and Dad were out food shopping! As you can imagine I was absolutely delighted and excited. I was also quite emotional, like a massive weight had been taken off my shoulders knowing that my wait was finally over! Mum was elated!"

Within days of having the operation mum and daughter were discharged from hospital and are now recovering well at the family home in Addingham.

For Alyson the 'gift of life' is the best Christmas present Joyce could have wished for her daughter - and for whoever has received her own kidney.

Says Joyce: "She is bouncing. I have got my little girl back."

Although paired donation brings, hope, Alyson is conscious of the need for more people to become organ donors: "I was very fortunate in that I had a living donor but we still need organs," says Alyson, who has already signed up.

To express her appreciation, and to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation, she also penned a letter talking about the impact dialysis and renal failure had on her life, and the difference organ donation has made,

"I was very fortunate in that I have a loving family and wonderful and understanding friends. We often talked about what it was like to be on the waiting list. My reply was always "it will happen when it happens, when the time is right.

"The majority of my friends joined the ODR (Organ Donor register) when they realised they could help someone like me if something happened to them. The fact is you are more likely to need a transplant yourself than you are being an organ donor. Which begs the question - if you are willing to receive a transplant, why are you not on the ODR? Or if you are on the ODR please tell your loved ones your wishes. At least that way through the grief you will experience you will at least know one of the answers to give as the decision has already been made for you."

The 38-year-old cannot thank her mum, or her donor, enough. "Without the donors it would not have taken place. It means the world to me and it is wonderful they can do this for us and take us off the transplant list ready for Christmas.

"That is the best Christmas present, definitely," says Alyson.

Now Alyson and Joyce are looking forward to embarking on their girly holidays again! Being on dialysis had curtailed Alyson's travels so they are now intending to make up for lost time and have already booked a break abroad next year.

"The sky is the limit," says Joyce.

"I just want to go out and enjoy life because it has been given back to me," adds Alyson.

Lisa Burnapp, lead nurse - Living Donation, explains the paired/pooled process developed following the Human Tissue Act 2006.

In the UK living donors can donate a kidney or part of their liver.

Lisa explains there are about 1,100 living donations a year and almost a third of kidney transplants are from living donors. Six hundred and forty six people have received a transplant through the paired donation scheme.

Another part of the Living Donation programme is where people are willing to donate without an intended recipient in mind. These non-directed donors can also be included in the paired/pooled matching runs to trigger a chain of up to three transplants.

Of the 1,100 living donor transplants carried out every year, the living kidney sharing scheme makes about 11 per cent of the transplant activity every year.

"It is fantastic and to be involved in it is extraordinary. The scheme is evolving all the time," says Lisa.

For more information visit organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. You can also use hashtag #YesIDonate

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