Jane Elliott BBC News Online Health Staff

Patricia and Amos Powell named their little boy Matthew, meaning gift from God, because that is what they believe he was.

Less than two years ago Patricia was at death's door. Her kidneys were failing and she needed constant dialysis just to keep her alive.

She has a rare blood group, AB positive with antibodies, and none of her family including her twin was a match.

But then a million to one chance found her husband could donate.

He gave one of his kidneys for transplant and within 10 months Patricia was pregnant.

In just a couple of weeks Matthew will be a year old, but his mother admits that she still needs to pinch herself to believe that she has a baby of her own.

Bleak

"I was always the aunty, never the Mum.

"When I was ill I did get pregnant, but I lost my baby Amos at six months after I went into early labour.

"Now I have Matthew and I just sit there and watch him. I cannot believe he is my baby.

"I used to wake up in the night and touch him, saying to myself is he really my baby."

But Patricia, 36, admits that the days pre-Matthew were very bleak and she often felt like giving up and just fading away.

It was only the love of her family and faith in God that kept her from giving up.

"There were many times I felt like not doing the dialysis, but my belief in God kept me going.

"It was like there was no hope.

"It was like there was no chance."

Match

She found using home dialysis five times a day for 45 minutes a time too draining and tiring, but knew it was vital to keep her alive.

But she admits that some days she was tempted just to stop dialysis, even though she knew that would be a death sentence.

Without holding out much hope that he could help, Amos decided to have himself tested to see if he could be a match.

But the Powells and doctors were amazed when he passed all the tests and was pronounced a match - a one in a million chance.

But despite this good news the doctors were still cautious and warned that even after transplant her body could reject the kidney or the drugs could fail.

Healthy

But within weeks of the three hour operation Patricia started to recover her health; her skin glowed and she recovered her strength.

She started to go back to the gym and built up her fitness levels and on October 12 she gave birth to Matthew, who despite being born six weeks early weighed a healthy 6lbs 12oz.

"I am back to normal and it is wonderful."

Ann Frankton, live donor transplant co-ordinator at the Nottingham City Hospital, where Mrs Powell had her operation, said she was delighted that the operation had been such a success.

"We are absolutely delighted for them, having a baby was something she had really wanted to do."