A WOMAN has backed a campaign encouraging families to talk about organ donation after both her father and her sister gave up kidneys to save her.

Irene Allen, 44, from Liswerry was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 11-years-old, and was 32 when her kidneys first started to fail.

Her dad, Geoff, stepped up at the time. But, less than 10 years later, in May 2013, her health deteriorated suddenly and she was told that her body was rejecting the donated kidney.

“It all happened quite suddenly,” she said. “All the poisons start building up and I had to go on dialysis for 18 months. Things were getting difficult in terms of getting access to my kidney.”

It was then that Miss Allen’s sister, Louise, 41, said she would also donate for her, as they were a perfect match.

Earlier this year, the Welsh Government launched a major campaign focusing on the role of families in the organ donation process.

Now, Miss Allen has said she may not be here today were it not for her family.

She said: “I didn’t even bring it up. It had to be Louise’s decision.”

Her sister said it was an easy decision.

“It’s a major operation but I didn’t think twice about donating my kidney," she added.

The sisters, who say they have a very close bond, had to see psychiatrists and be independently interviewed before the operations. They also had to provide family photos of them together to prove their relationship.

Louise said: “I went down to surgery first, and it was strange because I was the calmest I have ever been in my life. I wasn’t nervous at all.”

Miss Allen said the operation could not have gone better.

“Usually when you get a new kidney it takes a while to work and it’s sluggish for a few days, but it was producing urine within an hour and my kidney’s levels were normal within 24 hours. It was the kidney did not know it had swapped bodies.

“I went from feeling so ill and awful to feeling like a new person. It was brilliant. Louise saved my life.”

Miss Allen won the 2017 Pride of Gwent Courage Award. In her nomination form, she was said to make the best of life despite her health complications. “That was a really nice surprise, and I had a really good time at the awards," she said.

Do you know someone like Miss Allen? Then nominate them in our recently launched 2018 Pride of Gwent Awards at southwalesargus.co.uk/prideofgwent.

For more on organ donation see organdonationwales.org