“I was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy in 2003 following a routine blood pressure check. My kidney function was around 34% and in 2005 I was able to get pregnant with twins. Despite getting pre eclampsia and the twins being born 5 weeks early, they are now healthy 20 year olds.

My kidney function deteriorated and I started feeling cold and fatigued. When my renal consultant started talking about a transplant, my husband, Rob, put himself forward. He went through the testing process in 2017 including a biopsy, however was advised against donating as he also has the same condition.

My twin sister Jennie, who had been living in New Zealand, didn’t hesitate to step in. In 2017, she made the huge decision to return to the UK for a year with her family to support me – and ultimately, to donate one of her kidneys.

When Jennie told me she wanted to donate, I was overwhelmed. She didn’t even hesitate. That kind of love and selflessness – it’s hard to put into words. The transplant went ahead in March 2018, but the journey wasn’t without its challenges. Jennie initially faced a scare during testing when doctors found protein in her urine – a potential sign of kidney issues. She was devastated. It was a horrible time, worrying she might not be able to donate. But thankfully, the tests later confirmed everything was fine, and she was cleared to go ahead.

Following the operation, we both recovered well. Jennie bounced back quickly and hasn’t had any significant health issues since. She still has annual check-ups, but she’s doing great. For me, it’s been nothing short of life-changing. I feel like I’ve been given my life back.

We also have a lasting reminder of our shared journey. We got matching tattoos – a Māori symbol called a mangōpare, which represents the hammerhead shark. It stands for unconditional love, strength and courage. Beneath it is the date of our transplant. It’s a permanent symbol of what we went through together.

Jennie ran the London Marathan this year to raise money for Kidney Research UK.

I decided that I wanted to climb Kilimanjaro as a physical challenge for my 50^th Birthday for the National Kidney Federation. Unfortunately, Jennie can’t join us from New Zealand.”