 | Kidney Research UKApr 18, 2025 |  |
After leaving her life in New Zealand, Jennie is running in the TCS London Marathon following her decision to donate a kidney to her twin sister, Sue, who was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy in 2017.
“Sue is a bright and bubbly person, but as her kidney function declined, she began feeling cold and tired with persistent headaches. She’d lost her spark and was very unwell. I didn’t think twice about donating my kidney. I don’t need two, and it has made a huge difference to Sue’s life.
“It was hard going through so many ups and downs, but being motivated by love for my sister kept me going. The testing process was challenging, but I had no worries about the operation itself, and my recovery was quick.
“For Sue it has been transformative. She has twin daughters, and they wrote a lovely message about how nice it has been to have their mum back. She has had a new lease of life.
“I’m excited and terrified about running the marathon! I’m just following my training plan as best I can. It will be great to have the support of Sue and the rest of the family cheering me on the day.
“I want to help fund research. It seems crazy to me that both my sister and brother-in-law have the same disease, but we don’t know the causes. Nobody can tell us how or why it has happened. If researchers can better understand that, maybe we can stop it and put an end to kidney disease.”
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4ikAAbB
[Image description: 1 – Jennie and Sue are sitting in a hospital room. Between them is a small table with drinks, paperwork, medicine and a flower. Both of them are smiling at the camera. One is in a blue and white polka dot dressing gown and the other is in a hospital gown with tubes coming out of their body. Behind them is a hospital bed and sink.
2 – Jennie and Sue posing for a selfie, standing close together, on a sunny day in a forest. The sun is shining on their faces with the shadows of trees visible on them. Behind them are big trees, fern bushes, and bluebells. They both have straight blonde hair and are wearing casual t shirts and jackets.
3 – Jennie and Sue posing for a photo smiling. They appear to be on holiday in a hat or gift shop. They are both wearing straw hats, with other hats visible in the background. One is wearing a royal blue dress, white bag, and dark sunglasses are hanging on the neckline of the dress. The other is wearing a light pink dress with black and red leopard spots all over. They both have curtly blonde hair.
4 – Jennie and Sue posing for a photo on a beautiful sunny day. Behind them is Waiau river bridge, Hammer Springs in New Zealand. The river is a blue, green colour, and all the trees, plants, and grass in the background are lush green. Both of them are smiling with sunglasses on their heads. One is in light blue jeans, a black top and jumper and the other is in black jeans, a white knitted jumper and a white sleeveless gilet.]
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