A Warrington Hospital intensive care nurse manager who once faced the prospect of a lifetime tied to dialysis has spoken about how an organ transplant gave her back her freedom – and allowed her to continue caring for some of the hospital’s sickest patients.
Lisa Radley, who lives in Winwick, began her nursing training at Warrington Hospital in 1990.
Becoming a nurse had been her ambition since she was just six years old, inspired by helping her parents care for her disabled sister.
But five years after starting her training, Lisa was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, a chronic kidney disease which would eventually lead to kidney failure and the need for a transplant.
By 2003, both of her kidneys had failed.
Her life became dominated by hospital appointments, medication and overnight dialysis.
Simple things many people take for granted – including spontaneous plans, travelling and even going swimming with her son – became difficult or impossible.
Then, on Valentine’s Day 2007, came the phone call that changed her life. A matching kidney had been found.
Lisa remembers the moment with a mixture of excitement and sadness.
“I had very mixed emotions about receiving a transplant. I was excited at the prospect of not needing to have dialysis every night but also felt great sadness for my donor and her family for giving me the gift of life.”
Almost two decades later, Lisa says the transplant has given her far more than simply another chance at life.
It has allowed her to return to the career she has loved since childhood and continue working as an intensive care nurse, caring for some of the Trust’s most critically ill patients.
“Receiving a donor kidney has enabled me to return to the job I love, allowed me to watch my son grow into a young man and has helped me to achieve my own personal goals,” she said.
But perhaps the most powerful description of what the transplant gave her is contained in just one word.
“It has given me the greatest gift of all, freedom.”
“This is something that should never be taken for granted and is priceless.”
Lisa is now using her own experience to encourage people to think seriously about organ donation.
She believes people often focus on the individual receiving an organ, without considering the impact on their entire family.
“If you are considering organ donation, remember you won’t only be changing one person’s life, you will be changing the entire family’s life by allowing them to spend time with their loved ones and achieve their goals.”
Lisa’s story also highlights the extraordinary journey that can lie behind a successful transplant.
The little girl who dreamed of becoming a nurse went on to face kidney failure herself – only to return to the profession and now help care for other critically ill patients.
There are currently*more than 8,500 people waiting for an organ transplant in the UK.
The waiting list has reached its highest level, while people continue to die while waiting for a suitable organ to become available.
Dr Paul Fitzsimmons, Executive Medical Director, is urging people across Warrington and Halton to talk about organ donation and make sure their wishes are recorded.
“We need more people in Warrington and Halton to talk about organ donation and record their decision on the national register.”
He said opportunities for potentially lifesaving transplants can be lost when families do not know what their loved one wanted.
According to the Trust, nine out of 10 families say they would support organ donation if they knew their loved one’s wishes.
Dr Fitzsimmons added:“It only takes two minutes to confirm your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, and you could save up to nine lives.”
He stressed that there is no age limit for becoming an organ donor, while having an illness or medical condition does not necessarily prevent someone from donating.
“We can change things, though we need your support to get people talking.”
For Lisa, the decision to donate is about something much bigger than statistics.
It is about giving somebody else – and their family – the opportunity she was given nearly 20 years ago.
Today, she is still doing the job she dreamed of as a child, caring for critically ill patients at Warrington Hospital and watching her son grow into a young man.
And she says the kidney donated to her gave her something that cannot be measured in money or years.
How to register
People can record their organ donation decision through the NHS Organ Donor Register or via the NHS App.
