THE family of a seriously-ill Newport woman in desperate need of a kidney transplant have said their spirits have been boosted by the number of people who have offered to help.

Last month the Argus reported 47-year-old grandmother and mother-of-three Claire Clarke was in urgent need of a kidney transplant, having faced numerous health issues since being diagnosed with diabetes in her 20s.

Since then, sister Joanna Davies said many people had come forward offering to help, and they hoped one of these would be a match - including one man who was "adamant" to act as her donor.

South Wales Argus: Claire Davies when she was healthy Claire Davies when she was healthy

Claire Clarke before she became sick

But she said they were facing barriers due to the fact that Ms Clarke is a patient at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital - run by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board - but transplants are carried out by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

Ms Davies said, due to the various different teams involved in her sister's care, it had proven difficult getting a plan for a way forward together.

"I am trying to talk to everyone but there are so many different teams she’s under due to being a complex case," she said.

“I want to get them all in a room together so I can speak to them all at once to see what the plan for her care is going forward.”

One potential donor has even written to the Cardiff and Vale health board expressing his willingness to help in an effort to speed the process up.

South Wales Argus:

Claire Clarke

Ms Davies said: “Its amazing that so many people are coming forward to help my sister, which is fantastic as not many are her blood group and are eager to help."

She said her sister's morale had been boosted by the number of people who had offered to help.

Miss Davies added: “My sister told me she currently feels the best she has in a long time and wants to be given that second chance.

“She told me it’s her body and her life and should have a say in her care, but she is over the moon with the amount of support.

“It is those type of people who have come forward and wished her well have boosted her moral and has given her the faith to carry on as we are not giving up.”

Mrs Clarke's blood type is A+, but a potential donor would not necessarily need to have the same type - anyone fit and healthy can be entered into a living donor pool, potentially saving many lives.

Healthy people who are considering of becoming a volunteer will be asked to undertake a serious of tests to ensure they are suitable to donate.

You can find out more through Transplant TV films - available here - or through reading information available here.

You can volunteer to donate your kidney to someone you know here or volunteer to donate to a stranger here.