Mariëtte Botha (42) from Gqeberha received the ultimate gift in 2021 — a life-saving kidney from her brother, Martin — a story TELL first discovered on the Stellenbosch University website; both Mariëtte and her brother martin are SU alumnus.

1. Which organ did you receive, and in what year?
   A kidney in 2021.

2. How long were you on the waiting list for your organ?
I was fortunate to not be on a waiting list as I had a matching living donor.

3. What was life like before the transplant How did you spend your days?
I was fortunate to have led a “normal” healthy and active life before my transplant. I mainly battled chronic fatigue and lack of energy and some nausea because of my diagnosis. 

4. Describe the emotions experienced when you were told your donor is a match?
I experienced mixed emotions. I was grateful that my brother was a perfect match, but I was sad at the same time because I knew that it meant my brother would have the surgery and put his own life at risk too. 

5. What is life like now, after the transplant?
Life after my transplant is incredible and different. I feel like a new person. I have energy and a new lease on life. I lived with kidney disease for a very long time and I became used to feeling tired and nauseous; it all felt “normal” to me. My first thought after the surgery was “this is what it must feel like to be healthy”. And heathy feels amazing!

7. Why do you think there is a shortage of donors in South Africa?
Perhaps a lack of education and awareness. Perhaps even fear and uncertainty, or people’s individual beliefs, values and perceptions of giving away a part of yourself.

8. If you could describe transplant in one word, what would it be?
   Life