Life-changing op leads Rosie to British Transplant Games

Rosie Good (11) will set off for the event later this month after falling ill three years ago and eventually receiving a new kidney.

Now fighting fit, her family couldn’t be prouder to see her compete after going through hell over the last few years.

The former Capshard pupil is now looking forward to starting high school after the summer.

They are also planning to hold a fundraising event in Kirkcaldy for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Renal Ward later this year to mark a year since her transplant.

The UK Transplant Games take place in Newport, South Wales, July 25-28, and features a number of different events.

Rosie will be taking part in badminton, the long jump, the 50m sprint and the obstacle course.

Her mum Lisa said: “She’s doing great.

“She had her transplant on September 6, and since then she’s kept really well.

“She goes every four weeks through to Glasgow for a check-up to make sure they’re happy with her progress, which they are.

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“We’re looking forward to going on holiday this year after being unable to go over the last few years.

Lisa said that Rosie first fell ill during in April 2016, during the Easter holidays.

“She just wasn’t herself, she’s always been prone to nosebleeds, and had a really bad one,” Lisa said.

“In the days after that she was off her food, didn’t want to go out to play, and was just tired all the time, so we made an appointment to the doctor.”

After a few checks, Rosie had blood taken for tests at Victoria Hospital’s children’s ward, where things moved quickly.

“The doctor came through and said the intensive care team were on their way from Glasgow to collect us as she was going into acute renal failure, and that’s the pediatric renal unit for Scotland,” Lisa said.

“We were blue-lighted through to Glasgow.”

What happened next was every parent’s worst nightmare, as

“It’s called good pasture syndrome which is an autoimmune disease, so her body had started making this rogue antibody,” Lisa explained. “It all stemmed back from the nosebleed, as kids’ bodies go into overdrive to make new blood.

“It created this antibody which attacked her kidneys and her lungs where they became really inflamed, her kidneys just scarred over and she was effectively drowning in her own blood.”

Two days later Rosie was put into an induced coma, and put on life support for 19 days so that her lungs could recover.

Lisa said: “She was in intensive care for four weeks and then in the renal ward for four weeks and needed daily physio with a wheelchair and later a zimmer frame as she’d been in bed for four weeks.

“It was horrific to go from having a perfectly healthy child to have that happen.”

Finding a donor seemed to take an age, but there were no shortage of friends or family members who were willing to step forward and help. However, there were complications.

Lisa explained: “Neither myself, my husband, or any of the family were an actual donor for Rosie, because she needed so many blood products that the body takes on all the differnet antibodies from everybody’s blood, so she was no longer compatible. It makes it really difficult to find a match.”

But eventually there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Lisa said: “We got a phonecall out of the blue just to come through. We just went into overdrive. That was on September 5, and it was the next day. It’s amazing, we’re just so proud, because she’s just got this abundance of energy now.

“Before, she was attending school and still trying to get out with friends, but she always pushed herself because she wanted to be the same as all her friends.

“But behind closed doors she was tired and sick, and on dialysis every night so couldn’t have sleep overs.

“There were just so many restrictions. Now she goes out with friends, has all this energy, and has a great apetite.”

Rosie said: “I’m looking forward to games, especially the obstacle course. The staff at the hospital were really helpful, so it’ll be good to raise funds for them later this year.”

The fundraising event is at the Windsor Hotel on September 6.