Kidney transplanted using world-first technique still going strong after 15 years
A woman from Lincoln has been reunited with the surgeon who performed a first-of-its-kind kidney transplant 15 years ago.
In 2010, Deborah Bakewell, 70, became the first person in the world to be given a kidney using a technique called normothermic machine perfusion. This pioneering technique was developed by Professor Mike Nicholson, who was also the surgeon for Deborah’s kidney transplant.
A special reunion
Professor Nicholson and Deborah had an emotional reunion in December at his lab at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, as they reflected on the difference the transplant has made for Deborah over the past 15 years.
Deborah says: “I thought I was going to burst into tears as soon as I saw him again. He is my hero. Before my transplant I spent three years dialysing nine hours a night, seven nights a week. That meant I was in bed at 7.30pm, connected to a machine and was stuck there all night. It was so frustrating having my life restricted by a dialysis machine.
“When I was on the transplant list, I was worried I’d never get a kidney because of the shortage of donors. I didn’t know if I’d ever get to have a normal life again. Thankfully, because of this normothermic machine perfusion technique, I had the opportunity to receive a kidney which would not previously have been selected for transplantation.
“It has already given me 15 wonderful years, spending time with my step-grandchildren, travelling and playing golf. That would not have been possible without my transplant. I cannot express how thankful I am to my donor and Professor Mike Nicholson.”
What is normothermic perfusion?
A technique revolutionising kidney transplant surgery, developed from research conducted by Professor Mike Nicholson and funded by Kidney Research UK.
The donor kidney is connected to a machine that flushes the organ with oxygenated blood. This technique allows doctors to test whether a marginal kidney is suitable for a patient, when previously it may not have been considered viable.
Normothermic machine perfusion is also being investigated as a way of delivering medications that could one day improve the health or lifespan of a donated kidney. Research in this area is continuing to be developed by Professor Sarah Hosgood from the University of Cambridge, who we’ve funded to investigate whether stem cells from the urine of premature babies could be used to improve the condition of kidneys from older donors for transplant.
Hereditary kidney disease
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)has affected many of Deborah’s family members, including her mother, grandmother and nephew. At 23, she found out she’d also inherited the condition, which causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys.
Deborah says: “It didn’t affect me significantly until I was in my 40s, but by the time I’d reached my early 50s I had no choice but to start dialysis treatment. My kidneys had failed and I was exhausted.
“My life changed drastically, and I tried to hold on to whatever normality I could by continuing in my job at Belvoir Lettings. Dialysing increased my energy levels, but having to do it for several hours, each night, disrupted every occasion. Dialysis was dictating my life.
“My husband, Bryan, was tested to become a living donor, but unfortunately his own health circumstances meant he was not eligible to donate a kidney. I spent three years on the kidney transplant waiting list, wondering if it was ever going to happen for me.”
Receiving a kidney transplant
In 2010, Deborah was given the opportunity to be the first person in the world to receive a kidney transplant using the normothermic machine perfusion technique.
She says: “When I was approached about having the transplant, I felt I had nothing to lose. The kidney had been rejected for transplantation by other hospitals because of concerns over the quality of the organ, but I was desperate for the chance to escape dialysis.
“Professor Nicholson’s research enabled his team to test the kidney’s function to ensure it was suitable for transplantation. Even though I was the first having a transplant using normothermic machine perfusion, I trusted him and his team. Someone had to be first and I’m so glad it was me!
“I’ve had a wonderfully normal life over the past 15 years, and that’s all you can ever hope for. Normality should be valued. It’s something that was quickly taken away from me when I was on dialysis. There are so many simple things I treasure now, such as getting fish and chips, or going for a weekend away.
“I have written to the donor’s family, both immediately after my transplant and ten years later. I cannot express how thankful I am.”
Celebrating my kidneyversary
A transplant from a deceased donor lasts 15-20 years on average, and Deborah has now reached that milestone.
She says: “Reaching 15 years is fantastic, particularly when you consider that the kidney would not have been considered viable for transplantation without Professor Nicholson’s research.
“I know a transplant is only a treatment, and that one day I might need dialysis again. However, I hope over the next 15 years I’ll still be here to see my step-grandchildren grow and flourish. The youngest is in nursery and the eldest is in year ten. I’d love to see them reach adulthood.
Reflecting on the anniversary of her transplant is important to Deborah, as it is for many patients who receive an organ. She says: “Bryan and I go for a quiet meal every kidneyversary to remember my donor and appreciate another year of life with my kidney.
“This year it has been special to reunite with Professor Nicholson. We also joined Kidney Research UK’s Christmas Carol Concert, where I shared my experiences with PKD as part of the service. It was a great occasion.
“I hope people consider becoming organ donors after hearing the difference that has been made to my life. I carry a donor card in the hope that, after I die, I can still make a positive difference to someone else’s life with whatever organs are suitable to be transplanted.
“I would love to see research continue to evolve, making even more life-changing transplants possible. Researchers like Professor Nicholson and his team are absolutely brilliant, and the fact the normothermic machine perfusion technique is being further developed is fantastic.”
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