Brisbane singer Seleen McAlister's emotional transplant journey revealed
When this powerhouse vocalist’s phone rang in the middle of a gig she had a feeling it was important.
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It was a Sunday morning at 11.46 in the middle of a lunchtime gig when Brisbane country singer Seleen McAlister’s phone rang with a no-caller ID.
The call gave her the chills. Even though she had waited for over two years she had a gut feeling that it was the hospital telling her they had a lifesaving kidney available.
Seleen, 50, had end stage kidney disease, had almost lost her leg, had lost her sight and had been so sick her family had said goodbye. Hope was almost lost..
“When my husband Jason and I called the number back it was my nephrologist. She heard the noise in the background and said “ are you having a party there?” Then she told us there was a kidney ready for me and to come into the hospital,” Seleen said.
“There were lots of tears and disbelief.”
But in true showbiz style, the show must go on. So the powerhouse singer finished her set before rushing home and packing a bag.
Seleen grew up with chronic illness and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at aged 11.
She had her transplant on June 9 at the Princess Alexandra Hospital— an operation that has not only saved her life but saved her career.
“I am a recording artist and performer and have been performing at clubs, pubs and festivals all over Australia for more than 30 years. I have been nominated for two Golden Guitars and performed with artists such as Lee Kernaghan, Adam Harvey, McAlister Kemp, Beccy Cole and have toured with the legendary Ian Moss,” the singer said.
But in 2019 Seleen was forced to step away from her professional music career due to auto-immune disease and chronic illness.
“I started losing my sight, which brought an end to touring and I faced many life threatening surgeries before being diagnosed in 2021 with end stage kidney failure. I then started dialysis treatment in 2022. Through it all I have had the support of Jason, my loving husband.”she said.
“I love to perform and was just doing small singing gigs here and there but now that I am recovering I hope I can renew my career. I’ve already started songwriting for a new album and am looking forward to getting back on stage and performing once again.”
Seleen no longer has to attend hospital three times a week to spend hours in a dialysis chair with Jason always by her side in a nearby chair..
“I feel so much better. I will live my life honouring the person and their family that allowed me to have this kidney. It is not wasted on me that another family has gone through tragedy for me to have a future with my family.”
Seleen’s transplant is a full circle moment. Her mother Delphine Powell, received a liver transplant in 1986.
“We had an extra 15 years with her and she got to see my sister and I get married and met three of her five grandchildren. Having now been through that situation and needing a life saving transplant myself, I feel blessed I will get to experience those moments making beautiful memories with my husband, children and family for many years to come.”
After a lifetime of transplant experience Seleen is working with DonateLife to spread the word of how the organs from one person can change the lives of seven families.
There are 1457 Australians waiting for a kidney transplant with 175 active patients waiting in Queensland. The average wait time for a kidney is close to 2.7 years, eight to 12 months for a liver, six months for a heart and six to 18 months for lungs.
Seleen’s story comes as Queensland is set to undergo changes proposed by the state government to allow doctors to prepare for organ donation before life support is withdrawn.
Public consultation will begin next month on proposed life-changing legislative amendments to make it easier for families to facilitate organ donation as their loved ones near the end of life in a bid to boost the number of viable transplants.
The amendments aim to clarify consent processes and, in certain cases, obtain next-of-kin consent to allow doctors to prepare for organ donation before life support is withdrawn.
Organ quality deteriorates rapidly following death and allowing blood tests and medical imaging for organ matching and administering anti-coagulants before death would help maintain organ viability.
In cases of circulatory death, where the heart permanently stops, there is currently no clear authority for the next of kin, as defined under the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979, to consent to these pre-death interventions.
“Organ donation is only possible in a small number of cases, so we need to make sure our laws are as clear as possible to make the most of donation opportunities,” Health Minister Tim Nicholls told The Sunday Mail.
Just over half of Queenslanders have given consent to be organ donors, but in Australia, families of potential donors must always agree to donations at the hospital.
“The biggest stumbling block to donation is when a patient’s family doesn’t know what their loved one wanted re organ and tissue donation,” DonateLife Queensland state manager and nursing director Tina Coco said.
“Around eight in 10 families say yes to donation when you are registered, but this drops to four in 10 when they don’t know what you want.”
Last year 96 Queensland donors and their families gave the gift of an organ to save the lives of 273 Australians who received a lifesaving transplant.
One donor has the potential to save seven people.
In Queensland, organ transplants are performed at the Princess Alexandra Hospital for liver and kidney transplants and at The Prince Charles Hospital for lung and heart-lung transplants. The PA is also the location for the Queensland Kidney Transplant Service and the Queensland Liver Transplant Service. PCH is home to the Queensland Lung Transplant Service.
But from tomorrow the North Queensland Kidney Transplant Service based at Townsville University Hospital will open – the first of its kind outside of the state’s southeast.
“For the first time, people from right across the north, from Cairns to Mount Isa and the Torres Strait, can access lifesaving transplant surgery closer to home, Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes said. Already 35 patients have been referred to the North Queensland unit.
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Originally published as Brisbane singer Seleen McAlister's emotional transplant journey revealed
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