Husband Donates His Kidney to His Wife After 31 Years of Marriage

After 31 years of marriage, Phil Hulbert made an extraordinary decision to help his wife Fiona: he donated one of his kidneys to her.

Fiona, 55, had been receiving dialysis for 15 months after a kidney previously donated by her brother began to fail. Her kidneys had originally been damaged by the autoimmune condition lupus.

Phil, also 55, decided to become a living donor after doctors confirmed that he was healthy enough and that his kidney was suitable for his wife.

A Difficult Journey

The couple, from Doncaster, had spent months undergoing medical tests before the transplant could take place.

Fiona was receiving dialysis four times a week, and even took her dialysis machine with her when the couple travelled in their caravan.

Phil said he wanted to give his wife something that could make her life better. He also described the donation as part of the commitment they had made to each other when they married.

Before the operation, the couple agreed to let the BBC film the transplant. They hoped sharing their experience would encourage more people to consider registering their wishes about organ donation.

The Seven-Hour Operation

The transplant took place at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

Doctors initially planned to remove Phil’s kidney using minimally invasive surgery. However, the procedure became more complicated than expected because the kidney was surrounded by additional tissue.

After several hours, surgeons decided to switch to an open procedure. More than seven hours after the operation began, the kidney was successfully removed from Phil.

The organ was then prepared for transplantation before surgeons placed it inside Fiona. When blood began flowing through the kidney, it quickly started producing urine.

Looking Forward Together

Five weeks after the transplant, both Phil and Fiona were recovering at home.

Phil said he was looking forward to a future in which they could return to being husband and wife rather than living primarily as carer and patient.

For Fiona, the donation represented much more than a medical procedure. She said she struggled to find words to express how grateful she was to her husband.

The couple’s experience has also highlighted the importance of living kidney donation and the impact that organ transplantation can have on patients and their families.

Sources

• BBC News — “He’s always been by my side – now he’s given me his kidney”
• BBC Yorkshire — Coverage of Fiona and Phil Hulbert’s kidney transplant
• Sheffield Teaching Hospitals — Kidney transplant services