Fife toddler's lifesaving kidney transplant thanks to her gran

A toddler from Fife underwent a lifesaving transplant op during the lockdown - with her gran providing the kidney she needed.

Little Ruby Simpson was born in a membrane, a one in 80,000 rarity.

The two-year old has spent most of her life on dialysis and medics had feared she may not survive.

Mum Chloe Simpson, 24, had a healthy pregnancy but, at 26 weeks, one of the foetus' kidneys appeared unusually bright, and it took three attempts to successfully induce the baby.

Chloe and then-boyfriend Danny Simpson, 24, were able to take her home to Kelty, but a check up at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, sparked concerns she was cold and clammy as well as having suffered jaundice. Aged just 12 days old, she was diagnosed with congenital nephrotic syndrome.

Medics warned she may not survive as she was suffering complete renal failure. Both kidneys were removed at seven months old, and Ruby has had to have dialysis ever since.

The young family knew a kidney donation would change their daughter's quality of life and in November were told she was big enough to have one.

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Gran, Dawn Thomson,who works for NHS Fife, was told last March she was a tissue match, and in December that she could become a donor - but when coronavirus hit the op was postponed.

It finally went ahead on July 1 at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, but Dawn, from Penicuik, will have to wait until October to be able to see her only granddaughter.

Dawn had surgery an hour before Ruby, at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on the same campus.

Chloe said: "Since the transplant, the change in her has been amazing. Her colour has changed. She was always quite pale and ghostlike, but she's much pinker. She was always a wild child before but her energy levels are better."

Chloe was unable to visit her own mum after surgery was carried out, due to the pandemic, and the family kept in touch through Facetime. Ruby has only seen her gran once for a socially distanced visit.

Chloe and Danny have been staying in Glasgow since July at a flat provided by a charity, and have been told Ruby will need to shield until October 1.

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Dawn said: "There was no hesitation, even when I was told what could go wrong. I said 'no matter what happens I'm making the right choice'

“Hopefully it will last for 25 or 30 years, Ruby has not had much of a childhood so far. It has been a long year-and-a-bit to get here."

Dr Ian Ramage, pediatric nephrologist, who has been looking after Ruby since she was 12 days old, said: “The operation went very well and the kidney worked immediately.

“It’s a big operation for someone so small, and while there have been a few complications post op, it’s nothing we wouldn’t have expected to see. Long term Ruby will be able to grow and develop normally.

“She is not hooked up to a machine and not restricted in what she can eat. It’s not a cure but it will provide a much better quality of life and a longer life for Ruby.”

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