Journalist becomes surprise kidney donor for teen

A journalist who was contacted to write about a kidney donor appeal for a child and ended up as the donor herself, says she hopes to inspire others.

Emma Palmer, 51, a features writer at the Echo in Essex, was contacted by the child's mother to write the appeal in March 2025 but ended up being a match.

Maya, 16, from Hadleigh in south Essex, had the transplant on 6 January after suffering severe damage to her kidneys following an e-coli infection two years earlier.

Palmer, from Laindon near Basildon, said she hoped more people could "take the first step" when donating a kidney and that nine weeks after the procedure she felt "totally normal".

"One of the reasons I wanted to do this was for Maria (Maya's mother) because as a mother myself I could only imagine what she was going through," she said.

"Life on dialysis is horrendous and so I wanted to help."

Maria, 48, an executive assistant for a local charity, said: "I can say thank you to Emma but it will never be enough.

"We will always be in touch with Emma but particularly every 6 January."

Maya said Emma "saved her life" and as a keen musician, she has already written songs reflecting on her experience.

"Not only has Emma given me a life but she has made me want to live it," she said.

According to the NHS, if a potential living donor has been found, the average wait for a kidney transplant is usually three to six months.

Wait times vary based on blood type, tissue match, and, frequently are longer for people from black and South Asian communities.

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