23 January 2025

Just before Christmas last year, a Warrnambool family got the kind of gift that’s truly priceless. Katrina Brightwell gave her daughter, Mira, a kidney – a life-changing act of love that has already made a huge difference to Mira’s life.

Mira, now 12, was born with a rare kidney disease that would likely require a transplant. Over time, her kidneys couldn’t keep up with her growing body, and about a year ago, Mira’s kidney function started to decline even further.

Both Katrina and her husband Mark, got tested and were a match, with Katrina being a closer match. “For me, it was never a question of if I should go ahead with it. My priority was to make sure Mira could have a good quality of life,” shares Katrina.

By the time surgery was scheduled, Mira’s kidney function had dropped to just 10 per cent. It was a critical moment where she would need to start undergoing dialysis but thankfully, everything came together in early December, just in time to avoid the need for dialysis.

Katrina’s surgery took place at Austin Health, and Mira’s transplant happened at the Royal Children’s Hospital with surgeons from Austin Health undertaking the operation.

“Looking back, I don’t think I fully considered my health. Only post-surgery did I realise the full impact of being a parent and a donor, and being so far from home didn’t help. The support I got from my care team at Austin Hospital at this time when I was feeling overwhelmed was incredible.”

“The doctors and nurses on the renal ward were so knowledgeable and fantastic; and being able to talk to the Pastoral Care team and Mental Health team about the physical and emotional shock of undergoing such a massive and emotional surgery really helped,” she adds.

Katrina’s primary clinician, Dr Natasha Cook, remarks, “Holistic care is a very important aspect of our living kidney donor clinic, both pre donation and during follow-up. It is always an absolute privilege to support parents like Katrina in helping their children through kidney donation.”

Katrina wasn’t able to see her daughter for a week while she healed, and when they met, their reunion was emotional, “The immediate difference in Mira’s energy was almost unbelievable. She had been struggling with fatigue for so long, but now, just days after the surgery, she was already feeling better.”

The family is feeling positive about what’s ahead. Mira is looking forward to starting year seven, and getting back into soccer and swimming once she’s fully recovered. Katrina, especially, is grateful for the chance to give her daughter a new chance at life, “The joy of being able to do this for Mira, and make her quality of life better, cannot be put into words.”