The first "paired" kidney donations have taken place in Britain, raising hopes that more lives can be saved through a compassionate and fully informed organ trade between the loved ones of those who desperately need a transplant.
A few months ago, following years of gruelling kidney dialysis and painful surgery, Roma Horrell, 57, told medical staff that she wanted to die. Her husband, Peter, wanted to give her one of his own kidneys, but proved not to be a match.
But through a new scheme operated under the regulatory eye of the new Human Tissue Authority, the Horrells, from Cambridgeshire, were paired with a Scottish couple in a similar situation. The husband had kidney failure because of a deteriorating disease he was born with and his wife was unable to help him by donating one of hers.
The two healthy partners exchanged kidneys so that their sick spouses could both have a life-saving transplant. Roma Horrell said the paired donation had transformed her life. "It's freedom and not thinking I might be dead next year. Not having to do dialysis is wonderful. It's nice not to have to go upstairs to what I call the treatment room. I'm looking forward to being normal. You don't realise how nice it is just to be normal."
When Peter came to see her after the operation, she said, he looked 10 years younger. "I didn't realise how worried he'd been. You don't realise all the worry on the face but when I saw him it had all gone," she said. "It's amazing. There had been all this pent-up worry for months."
The Scottish man who received Mr Horrell's kidney does not want to be identified. But he said the transplant had arrived on the eve of their wedding anniversary: "What a gift to get."
He said the transplant had allowed him to contemplate living a normal life. "We have a new house and I am really looking forward to getting outside to look after the garden," he said.
The operations took place on July 4 at Edinburgh royal infirmary and Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge. The two donors were anaesthetised simultaneously and put in touch with each other by phone just in case either should decide at the last minute to change their mind. Then the Scottish kidney was flown to Cambridge and the plane returned with Mr Horrell's kidney.
By late afternoon, it was all over and the Horrells were able to go home within a few days, although the Scottish recipient stayed longer in hospital because of complications.
The pairing guidelines have been put together by the HTA and UK Transplant, which coordinates organ donation. Although similar schemes have been running in the Netherlands and in the US, it has taken a while in Britain because "we wanted something designed for the UK," said Chris Rudge, of UK Transplant.
The pairing is done by computer. So far there are only 31 pairs on the register. The more who join, the more pairs that match in age, tissue type and blood group will be found.
There are 6,500 people waiting for a kidney in the UK and enduring regular dialysis.
