‘Without kidney donor, I might never have had my son’
Vienna White, 29, was leading a perfectly normal life up until 2006 when she had a sudden kidney failure after a routine test.
“I was completely shocked because I hadn’t shown any symptoms beforehand. I was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and I only had 8% kidney function before I had dialysis,” she revealed.
As a result, Vienna from New Mills outside Letterkenny, Co Donegal, had to undergo daily dialysis for the next 18 months.
But then another family’s tragedy became Vienna’s life-saver after the family of a Polish national decided to donate his organs for harvesting.
The man had been stabbed to death during an altercation in Dublin.
Vienna was rushed to Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital in the middle of the night after receiving the phone call and was soon on the road to recovery.
Since then she has been determined to live her life to the full.
She regularly helps to milk the 300 cows on the family farm and has also competed in the 2009 World Transplant Games in Australia.
And she knows she would not be alive today but for the kindness and bravery of the Polish man’s family.
“I would appeal to people to consider donating their organs. I know it’s a huge thing to ask but look at what it has done for me.
“I know other people who are desperately waiting on transplants of all sorts. People who donate their organs or their relative’s organs are quite simply giving other people life,” she said.
But despite her sporting achievements and living life to the full, the proudest moment of Vienna’s life came just four weeks ago when she gave birth to her son Cameron.
“I can’t believe that he is here now. I’d never have thought about this even two years ago.
“It shows what can be done by people donating their organs. Without getting my kidney Cameron might not be here today and that says it all,” she said.
