‘I Needed A Transplant So My Mom Gave Me Her Kidney'

Georgia Mountney, 24, talks about how her mother, Elizabeth, gave her the gift of life – twice.

- Ang Lloyd

When I was 19, my body started attacking itself. It began with joint problems, but it was only after seeing a number of specialists that I found out that both my kidneys were failing. The doctors didn’t exactly know what was causing my kidneys to stop working, but eventually I was given the diagnosis of lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that has a plethora of symptoms, and unknown causes. They’re still not quite sure what made my immune response go into overdrive, but there was no doubt about it – my body was rejecting its healthy organs.

To try reverse the kidney failure, I was put on a huge dose of medication, which included immuno suppressants, daily antibiotics, and a lot of cortisone. Unfortunately, this cocktail of drugs didn’t work as intended, and, after two years of battling difficult side effects – like my face ballooning and feeling totally drained every day – my kidneys finally decided to completely pack up.

At 22 I found myself in ICU, being resuscitated. For two years I’d felt my health wasn’t improving and I was living in limbo, but after my stint in ICU the doctors decided I needed a kidney transplant. It was a huge relief to know that there was a solution, and a light at the end of the tunnel.