6 February 2026
“He gave me the gift of life – I’m whole again thanks to him.”
This weekend marks a special anniversary in Donna Hodgetts’ life as it will be 20 years since she had a kidney transplant.
The mum of two, who works at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital, plans to celebrate the milestone by going out with her friends, which is something she couldn’t enjoy doing as a child or young adult.
“When I was born my parents were told I had dysplastic kidneys (kidneys that don’t develop properly during pregnancy) and they always knew that I would have kidney failure one day,” explained Donna.
“That happened when I was ten and I had to have dialysis treatment from 7pm to 7am every night, while lying in bed, and I was also tube fed. This meant I missed out on all the usual childhood things, although I did just get on with it.”
Donna was thrilled when she was able to have a kidney transplant but after three years this started to fail.
“I had to have dialysis three times a week for four hours so once again I couldn’t have a social life and missed out on all the fun things my friends were doing as teenagers,” said Donna.
“But I started a Youth Training opportunity at New Cross and I’m proud to say that no matter how tired I was because of the dialysis I always got out of bed to come to work because I loved my job. The teams I’ve worked with have been so supportive.”
Donna was 23 and at work when she received the call – 20 years ago – to say she could have her second kidney transplant.
“I could barely speak, I was crying so much, and my colleague drove me home because I was in no fit state,” she said. “And 20 years ago, on the 7th of February I received my new kidney which is still going strong now I’m 43.
“I know my donor was someone who was killed in a car crash and what he did is give me the gift of life. I’m whole again because of his generosity and his family supporting his decision.”
Donna, who works as ECHO Secretary in the Cardiac Investigations Department of the Heart and Lung Centre at New Cross, is the proud mum to two teenagers, Emilia and Lauren, and met her husband Dave, an IT manager at work. Dave and other family members have all made the decision to be organ donors because of Donna’s story.
She added: “I’d never have been able to have children unless I’d had a kidney transplant and we’ll be celebrating on the 7th of February while also taking time to be thankful to the donor who has made my life possible.”