Sunshine Coast mother-of-two makes desperate plea for kidney donations

A mother-of-two has shared her heartbreaking journey “as a prisoner” to kidney disease in the hopes more people register to make life-saving organ donations.

Mary Theodosiou is on the waitlist for life-saving kidney transplant. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A Sunshine Coast mother-of-two has made a desperate plea for more people to register for organ donations, in the hopes she can receive a lifesaving kidney transplant in time to see her family grow up.

Minyama woman, Mary Theodosiou was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, an inherited disorder, when she was in her early 20s.

Now aged 60, Ms Theodosiou is completely dependant on daily dialysis treatments to live, with her kidneys operating at just nine per cent of their capacity.

“It has only been in the last 10 years that things have gone downhill and I have rapidly lost kidney function,” Ms Theodosiou said.

Mary Theodosiou is completely dependant on daily dialysis. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“There is no cure at this stage, the only treatment option is a successful kidney transplant.”

Ms Theodosiou said constant medical testing to remain on the transplant list as a recipient had taken a mental and physical toll.

“If just one thing goes wrong they take you off the transplant list,” Ms Theodosiou said.

“There is no real quality of life, I can’t do much at all, I’m financially struggling because I can’t work.”

Ms Theodosiou said the one thing she would encourage people to do is start a conversation about organ donations with their families, adding “it is not just something for dead people”.

“People really need to have that conversation with their next of kin, because in the end they can have the last say,” Ms Theodosiou said.

“For me to receive a kidney it would be so freeing, I feel like a prisoner most days because I’m tied to this machine that is my life source,” Ms Theodosiou said.

“I just want to be here to see my kids and my future grandkids one day, I want to live.”

Ms Theodosiou said for those who are interested in registering for organ donation it takes “two seconds” through MyGov.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast mother-of-two makes desperate plea for kidney donations