Cleaner gives co-worker kidney after she revealed hers was failing
A Sydney cleaner has been hailed a “saint” after he gave his co-worker the incredible gift of donating his kidney for a transplant so she could have a second chance at life.
Over a coffee, 59-year-old Sydney Trains cleaner Nerissa Plummer revealed devastating news to her co-worker, telling him her kidney was failing.
In an incredible act of selflessness, Andrew Day, 52, didn’t hesitate to offer her the ultimate gift.
“I wanted to do the best I could do to help her. I made the decision to help her straight away,” he told 7 News.
He has no regrets, only gratitude, over his decision to donate his organ.
Ms Plummer was extremely grateful for her friend’s generous act.
“He was so brave. I think he’s a saint,” she said.
The result was even more astonishing because there was only a slim chance of a match between donor and recipient as Mr Day’s blood type was rare.
A living donor’s donor kidney generally lasts about 15-16 years, compared with about 12 years from a deceased person, Nephrologist Associate Professor David Goodman said.
The pair’s procedure was one of about 900 kidney transplants performed in Australia last year.
Around 250 Australians donate organs to a friend or family member every year. All potential donors undergo extensive psychological and medical testing before a transplant is given the green light.
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