The assessment

In 1999, Joyce a school teacher and mother of two children, discovers she has kidney failure

Three evenings a week she attends hospital for haemodialysis. This involves treatment on a kidney dialysis machine for four hours each time

Joyce is referred to the Transplant Unit for assessment. She is found to be a suitable candidate and her name is added to the Transplant List

Joyce’s sister Elizabeth would like to donate one of her kidneys. Their blood groups are compatible, so Elizabeth can be considered as a donor . She has an in-depth discussion with the Transplant Team before deciding to go ahead with the assessment.

The process can take 3-6 months to complete. Elizabeth is referred to an Independent Physician for further discussion. The assessment includes blood pressure monitoring, ECG, blood and urine tests, scans, X-Rays and renal angiogram.

The investigations prove that Elizabeth is very healthy and has two well-functioning kidneys. A date is set for the operation. The sisters can now plan for their admission to hospital.