Debora’s Story: How a Kidney Transplant Gave This Online Student New Purpose 

Navigating kidney failure, dialysis and motherhood

Debora was in her late teens when her life shifted dramatically. She was midway through a Bachelor of Health Science and working part-time when she was diagnosed with kidney failure. Dialysis three times a week meant she had to stop everything and move back home.

“It was a big shock for me and for my family. I had to stop studying. I had to stop work. Everything just stopped.”

She was told she would never receive a transplant and would be dependent on dialysis for life. Doctors also warned her that pregnancy was unlikely. Despite this, Debora gave birth to her daughter, Luna, an experience she describes as remarkable.

“She’s such a miracle. My parents were amazing. I couldn’t have done it without them. My mum pretty much became a nurse again, as well as a mum.”

Dialysis during pregnancy requires extraordinary effort. Debora spent up to eight hours a day on the machine to keep herself as healthy as possible. Her parents became her support system, helping with treatment. Her days were filled with hospital visits, treatment schedules and family responsibilities, and her own ambitions had to wait.

A kidney transplant that changed everything

After two decades on dialysis, Debora finally received the call she never expected: there was a donor match. In 2024, she underwent a successful kidney transplant.

“My first thought was, I want to travel and I want to study.”

The transplant restored her health and gave her the freedom to make plans again. Her time in hospital had highlighted the gap between physical and mental health support.

“The medical side of things was there, but the mental health side was a real struggle. That gap motivated me to study psychology and social sciences.”