PAM Newman has seen the best, and worst of medicine in her lifetime.
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During one of the bad times, her younger sister made her the kind of offer being celebrated this DonateLife Week, which supports tissue and organ donation.
According to DonateLife, there are 1800 Australians waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and while 80 per cent of people aged older than 16 support organ and tissue donation, only seven million are registered.
The week running Sunday, July 23, to Sunday, July 30 aims to raise awareness and encourage more people to get behind organ and tissue donation.
![Julie Kelly donated her kidney to her older sister Pam Newman. Picture by Peter Hardin Julie Kelly donated her kidney to her older sister Pam Newman. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/164349425/536e6c40-92b3-4bbe-8f31-9b02d38d298d.jpg/r0_0_7433_4955_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In 2009, at the age of 63, Mrs Newman suffered kidney failure caused by a tablet she'd been taking for her arthritis.
She spent 14 weeks on life support in John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle and had to be revived three times. She picked up influenza A and B, pneumonia, swine flu and VRE infection.
"It's a feeling that you don't know where you're sick, you're just sick all over, because your kidney's not filtering your blood, therefore you get very sick and weak and tired," she said.
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"Because she was so sick, and I didn't want her to die, and I only needed one," Mrs Kelly said.
"There were no second thoughts. I said that to her there and I stood by it."
The two sisters aged seven years apart grew up in Scone, both making the move to Tamworth later in life. They agreed that they'd always been close, but the organ donation brought them even closer.
Mrs Newman got through her illness in 2009, and lived freely with her own kidney until it's performance dropped again in 2015.
As she was considering a transplant, her sister said she'd already offered one.
"I said, well I didn't know that," Mrs Newman said.
But it took months to agree to the idea.
"I kept thinking if something happens to Julie's kidney, she's in the same boat as where I am," she said.
The morning after the procedure, Mrs Newman said her kidney function had jumped from five per cent to 74.
Meanwhile, Mrs Kelly was downstairs in the same hospital feeling very unwell, and couldn't eat for 25 days. But it was worth it.
The transplant took place on November 30, and by July, the sisters were off travelling the country.
"We walked every gorge in Australia, she'd have never done that, and so it was just absolutely rewarding," Mrs Kelly said.
![Sisters Julie Kelly and Pam Newman said their organ transplant brought them closer. Picture by Peter Hardin Sisters Julie Kelly and Pam Newman said their organ transplant brought them closer. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/164349425/e43f2b7e-a09e-437a-81d2-44a75e2c4a84.jpg/r0_0_6281_4187_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In an unfortunate turn of events, Mrs Newman again saw the worst of the medical system when her second COVID injection led to a significant drop in her kidney function.
A Tamworth doctor decided to do a biopsy, went too deep, and she ended up back on dialysis, Mrs Newman said.
Nevertheless, both sisters believe everyone should donate.
"It's just life changing," Mrs Newman said.
"You've got to look after the kidney that you're given."
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