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“There aren’t words to say how I feel about her."
It’s not surprising Suzanne Green cannot express her emotions for friend Tracey Warnast, as she gave her one of the greatest gifts possible – the chance to live.
Mrs Green, 44, of Beaumont Road, Barming, had been undergoing kidney dialysis at Maidstone Hospital for four years and her health had been deteriorating.
Each session took such a toll that her elder daughter, Savanna, 16, a pupil at St Simon Stock School, had taken on caring for her younger sister Kizzia, 11.
Mrs Green had been told by doctors that her only option was to have a kidney transplant.
But her donor came from an unexpected source – Mrs Warnast, mum of Becky, one of Savanna’s best friends.
Mrs Green said: “One night, I went to pick up Savanna and she asked me about it. I told her to contact Canterbury hospital, but didn’t think any more of it.
"tracey is a diamond. i’ll never, ever be able to repay her for it... there aren’t words to say how i feel about her, but she’s one in a million" – kidney transplant patient suzanne green
"Then months later, I went to pick up Savanna and she said she’d passed the test. I asked what test, and she said: 'Hasn’t anyone told you? I’m your donor!'
“I just burst into tears.”
The pair underwent the op together at Guys Hospital in Londonon Wednesday July 4, which was so successful, Mrs Green was able to be discharged just a week later.
She said: “Tracey is a diamond. I’ll never, ever be able to repay her for it. We have become very, very close. There aren’t words to say how I feel about her, but she’s one in a million."
She added: “It will make such a big difference to all of us. I’m looking forward to taking the girls swimming and to theme parks, as I couldn’t do things like that before.
“I’m going to be able to help my parents more, and it will be a huge change to Savanna, who used to stay home to help me, but she’ll be able to go out more and have fun."
And even though Mrs Green should make a full recovery within a year, she won’t be saying goodbye to Maidstone Hospital’s renal unit – she’s considering training as a healthcare assistant there.