{"id":437307,"date":"2025-09-20T00:29:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T00:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/437307\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T00:29:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T00:29:15","slug":"a-kidney-transplant-would-give-me-more-time-with-my-little-girl-and-watch-her-grow-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/437307\/","title":{"rendered":"‘A kidney transplant would give me more time with my little girl and watch her grow up’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The young mum is living with end stage kidney disease and depends on dialysis three times a week to stay alive\"AmyAmy is just 23-years-old and a devoted mum to her 3-year-old daughter<\/p>\n

This is Amy Mackay. She’s just 23 years old and a devoted mum to her 3-year-old daughter.<\/p>\n

But sadly Amy is currently living with end stage kidney disease <\/a>and depends on dialysis three times a week to stay alive. Each session lasts four hours and has a huge impact on every part of her life – from what she can eat and drink to how much energy and freedom she has day to day.<\/p>\n

Amy from Carrickfergus<\/a>, was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease last September, meaning her kidneys are close to or have completely failed. She says her life has changed a lot in a short space of time.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Newtownabbey man’s life put at risk due to ‘evil’ fake kidney donor<\/a>READ MORE: ‘The second gift of life’: Ballygowan woman’s journey from organ donation to competing on world stage<\/a><\/p>\n

Stage 5 kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease <\/a>(ESKD), is a severe stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) where the kidneys are no longer able to filter waste from the blood. Amy went straight onto dialysis<\/a> a couple days later and is now in need of a kidney transplant. She says her greatest wish is simple – to be able to spend more time with her little girl Zaria and watch her grow up.<\/p>\n

Amy says the only way she can live a more \u201cnormal\u201d life without dialysis is through a kidney transplant. Sadly, she does not yet have a living donor match and may have to wait years on the transplant list.<\/p>\n

After Zaria was born in December 2021, Amy began to experience migraines, which she put down to suffering from preeclampsia<\/a> during her pregnancy.<\/p>\n

She told Belfast Live<\/a>: “When I finally got the diagnosis it was a huge shock. I have been on dialysis for over a year now. I attend my local unit three times per week, each dialysis session lasts four hours.. Dialysis has a direct impact on my whole life. From the restrictions on the foods and fluids I can have, my social life and the amount of freedom I have in my day-to-day life<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"MumMum to 3-year-old Zaria, Amy was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease last September<\/p>\n

“I have a 3-year-old child who has now started nursery and the juggle of being a mummy with my additional health needs is terrifying. My wish is that I am able to spend more time with her and watch her grow up. My only option to lead a more normal life, without dialysis, is a kidney transplant. Currently I do not have a suitable living donor which means I might have to wait 2-3 years on a deceased donor kidney offer.”<\/p>\n

If you have ever considered becoming a living kidney donor, please take a moment to find out more. You could help give Amy, and others like her, the chance of a brighter future.<\/p>\n

Eligibility criteria for potential donors:<\/p>\n