Laura Maisey, a 38-year-old teacher from Chelmsford, donated one of her kidneys to a stranger in 2020. She was one of 83 people in the UK who donated a kidney to a person they didn’t know in 2019. Maisey made the decision to donate her kidney when her diabetic cousin’s kidneys failed, and she was unable to help her.
Maisey had thought about donating her kidney for a while, but was put off when she moved to Italy for 18 months. She finally decided to go through with it when she found herself near Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital, where her friend Alice had donated her kidney. Maisey walked into the kidney department and asked, “I was wondering if you’d like one of my kidneys?”
Three months of tests and Covid-related delays later, Maisey’s donation was approved and her operation was scheduled for January. The operation was successful, and Maisey’s kidney was transplanted to a person named Stuart. They soon became friends and even ran a marathon together.
Stuart, who had waited over 20 years for a kidney transplant, expressed his gratitude for Maisey’s donation. “What Laura did for me was the most incredible and beautiful thing,” he said. “There are no words to sum up how grateful I am. Laura is such a great human being, she didn’t want me to thank her, she was just trying to give back to the universe. We have this bond for life now and I am lucky to have her as a friend.”
Altruistic kidney donations have been permitted in the UK since 2006, and there are currently around 4,500 people waiting for a kidney transplant on the NHS waiting list. Maisey hopes that her donation has made a positive impact in the world and encourages others to consider donating their organs to save lives
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