A cancelled campervan trip, a change of plans, and one persistent dog. That’s all it took to save a woman’s life against odds of one in 22 million.
Lucy Humphrey, 44, from Caerphilly, Wales, had been living with lupus for 15 years when her kidneys began to fail.
In 2019, doctors delivered devastating news, without a transplant, she likely had only about five years left to live.
In June 2021, Lucy and her partner, Cenydd Owen, had originally planned a campervan trip to Aberystwyth.
But since Lucy wasn’t feeling well that day, they changed course and spent the afternoon at Cold Knap Beach in Barry with their two Dobermans, Indie and Jake.
While they relaxed, Indie kept wandering over to a stranger sitting nearby, a woman named Katie James, 40, who was quietly crocheting.
Wanting to apologize for the interruption, Lucy and Cenydd walked over to introduce themselves.
What started as a quick apology turned into an easy conversation, and before long, they’d invited Katie to join their barbecue.
As they talked, Katie mentioned she had recently signed up for the kidney donor register. Neither of them had any idea what that small detail would lead to.
After further testing, doctors discovered Katie was a perfect match for Lucy, a compatibility one surgeon described as “a one in 22 million” chance.
On October 3, 2022, the transplant was successfully carried out at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Katie later joked about the strange twist of fate that brought them together. “One doctor said it was the hand of God, more like the hand of dog if you ask me.”
Since the surgery, Lucy has been able to enjoy simple pleasures again, including a pint of lager and a gin and tonic, moments she once feared she’d never get to experience.
“It’s a miracle,” Lucy said. “If Indie hadn’t sniffed Katie out on the beach, I may never have found my perfect match. I think her doggy instincts told her that Katie was a warm, kind and generous person who would be happy to help me.”
A cancelled trip, a curious dog, and a stranger on a beach turned into the gift of a second chance at life.
Has your pet ever led you to someone or something that changed your life?
Source:
thesun – “HAND OF DOG I was told I’d die without a new kidney – then my DOG saved me by finding a one-in-22 million organ match on a beach”