THE moral dilemma of Blackpool woman Susan Squires, who must choose between her sister's life and her own fear of hospitals, has stolen the mind of the nation this week.

Many believe she should put her phobia aside and donate the vital bone marrow to her dying sister while others pity her for being thrust into the media spotlight during such a personal crisis.

Meanwhile her sister, leukaemia victim Angela Latham, 34, is waiting in the wings with the shadow of death constantly hanging over.

She is just one of hundreds of people who need transplants of one sort or another to survive.

Last week's Healthwatch told the story of Margaret Barnes whose new heart has given her a new lease of life.

This week, I spoke to Kathleen Haythornthwaite who has been given a second chance thanks to a kidney transplant just 18 months ago.

Kathleen, of Chestnut Drive in Fulwood, Preston was found to have damaged kidneys 15 years ago when pregnant with her second child.

They gradually declined until just over three years ago, they packed up altogether and she had to have dialysis to do the work of her useless organs.

Luckily, Kathleen was able to treat herself at home which meant she didn't have to go into hospital every other day, but she did have to cleanse her blood for nearly an hour, four times each day.

She followed a special diet and was restricted to where and when she could go out because of her treatment. But even if she had wanted to go out, she couldn't go far. "When you have kidney failure, you feel terrible," said the fresh-faced 48-year-old.

"You have no energy, you're always tired and you pick up all sorts of infections."

But now mum-of-three Kathleen is brimming over with energy.

Since she got her new kidneys she has become a new person. She's so full of life, enjoys spending time with her children and has even gone back to work as a chemist's assistant.

Kathleen admitted: "The person who gave permission for their relative's kidneys to be donated has given me a new lease of life. It has given me another 30-40 years."

And she appealed to people to get themselves registered as a donor.

She said: "I was lucky, I was only on dialysis for 22 months. Some people are on dialysis for all their lives and a compatible donor is never found. But the more donors there are the more chance they will have."

Anyone who wants to find out more about becoming an organ donor can call the NHS organ register's freephone 0800-555-777.

There is also a leaflet entitled Life Don't Keep It To Yourself, available from most doctor's surgeries and health centres.

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