A mum who gave one of her kidneys to a stranger so that someone else would do the same for her seriously ill daughter is in the running for our Supermum award.
Carri Gardener wanted to recognize her mum Susanne Blackman’s courage and kindness in saving her life. But her mum modestly said: “Any mum would do that for their daughter. I love her to bits and I hated seeing her not well.”Carri, a detective with the Metropolitan Police, was hit by rare and incurable kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 2011. And brave Susanne offered to donate one of hers to her only daughter but the test revealed they were not an exact match. When Carri’s body rejected a donor kidney after a January 2017 transplant, the 37-year-old turned to a national kidney sharing scheme.
Carri Gardener wanted to recognize her mum Susanne Blackman’s courage and kindness in saving her life. But her mum modestly said: “Any mum would do that for their daughter. I love her to bits and I hated seeing her not well.”Carri, a detective with the Metropolitan Police, was hit by rare and incurable kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 2011. And brave Susanne offered to donate one of hers to her only daughter but the test revealed they were not an exact match. When Carri’s body rejected a donor kidney after a January 2017 transplant, the 37-year-old turned to a national kidney sharing scheme.
It meant Susanne was able to donate her kidney to a stranger in exchange for a donor kidney suitable for Carri. In September last year, German-born Susanne and Carri had their operations at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London. Carrie, from Snodland, Kent, said: “To be cut open and have a kidney removed is an amazing thing to do for someone.“Mum never even questioned that she would do this for me and even said she wished she was in my place. She didn’t give her health a second thought even though she’s petrified of needles.”To thank her for her incredible gift, Carri entered Susanne in the Sunday Mirror’s Supermum 2019 competition.“It’s very difficult to say thank you to my mum because thank you never feel like it’s enough,” she said.“A Mother’s Day card never says what you want it to say.”Susanne, who has worked as an M& S store manager for 33 years, said she was touched by the nomination. The 61-year-old, from Sutton, Surrey, said: “I’m very surprised and proud to be nominated as a supermum. It’s clearly Carri’s way of saying thank you but she doesn’t have to.