This Organ Donation Week (21-27 September), Katherine Chambers, a CHC Nurse at NHS South Yorkshire has shared her personal organ transplant story.
Katherine was in her early 20s, studying to become a nurse when she found out that she had late-stage kidney disease:
“Over a period of 10 years I went into kidney failure.
“To get on the transplant list I had to lose six and a half stone, which I did over a period of 18 months and in November 2025 I was successfully put on the active transplant list: after my kidney function was 15% consecutively three times.”
Luckily, Katherine did not have to wait long for a donor match to be found and in early December 2025 she received a new kidney.
However, the days and weeks that followed were not easy, ‘my kidney, who I have named Edith, didn’t wake up for 7 days, and then they found the fluid she was transported in grew two infections, so I had high doses of antibiotics along with all my new anti-rejection medication’.
Despite these complications Katherine is now nine months post-op and continuing to thrive with Edith’s help.
Reflecting on her organ transplant journey, Katherine said:
“Edith has completely changed my life in more ways than I thought she could.
“As my health declined gradually over time, I was completely unaware of how ill I had become.
“I mean I knew I was poorly, but I thought my tired was everyone else’s tired.
“The best thing she has given me is time, more time as a mum, wife, daughter, sister, and friend: making memories is precious, even more so when I am involved in them and not always watching from the sideline.
“I have a whole new lease of life, I don’t feel like I’m waiting for my life to be put on hold until I am better again.
“I am living my life and making plans again.”
There are many people in the United Kingdom who find themselves in the same position that Katherine was in.
In the UK over 8000 people are currently in need of an organ donation to save or improve their lives.
To help more people just like Katherine, it is incredibly important that people confirm their decision to be an organ donor via the NHS Organ Donation Register.
It only takes 2 minutes.
Your decision could save up to 9 lives, confirm your decision here.
Pictured: Katherine Chambers after surgery.