Danielle Hyman, a former GP Practice Manager, has raised £160 to support the kidney fund within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity by holding a bake sale at the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.

Back in 2016, Danielle gave up her job at the GP Practice, where she had worked for 28 years, as her husband, Dr Barry Hyman, needed a kidney transplant. Sadly, Danielle wasn’t a match for her husband, but was determined to do anything she could to prevent him having to stay on dialysis for the rest of his life.

Danielle said: “We got talking to the Living Kidney Donor Coordinator at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and she suggested we considered the Paired Kidney Exchange which meant that I could donate my kidney to a compatible recipient Barry  would then get a compatible kidney in return through this amazing scheme.”

After Barry’s health began to deteriorate in early 2016, they were delighted to hear that matches were found, and the date was set for 4 April, where all six people (three donors and three recipients) would be operated on.

Danielle’s kidney was removed in the morning and transplanted into the recipient within hours, her recipient’s grandmother’s kidney was removed at the same time and transplanted into another recipient, whose partner’s kidney was then removed and transplanted into Barry.

Danielle said: “This all happened in the same day! Amazing isn’t it? We never got to know who each other was – that is a very strict part of the paired donor exchange scheme and to this day we have never met the recipient of my kidney nor the wonderful person who donated a kidney to my husband.”

She continued: “Not only is Barry really well now and back at work, but I found out that my kidney went to a child who had been on dialysis since he was born. I haven’t been allowed to meet him, but his Mum and I exchange Christmas cards via QEHB and last Christmas I found out that her son had participated in the Transplant Games and had won five medals!”

After she had recovered from donating a kidney, Danielle set about setting up a new afternoon tea business called My Selection Box. She said: “I love to bake and I love to entertain and over the years, friends and family have always raved about my afternoon teas so I thought why not do something I really enjoy?

“My Selection Box was created out of a desire to offer people a hotel-style afternoon tea with a selection of beautifully prepared sandwiches, scones, cakes and desserts. I wanted to be able to bring what I did in my home, into other people’s homes so that they could celebrate life’s special occasions without the hassle of going out.”

Danielle put her baking skills to good use and sold boxes of her bakes and brownies in the foyer of the Chamber of Commerce, raising £160 for the QEHB Charity Kidney fund in the process.

Cathryn Worth, Fundraising Manager at QEHB Charity, said: “Our thanks go to Danielle for her fantastic fundraising efforts. Her story is an incredible one, and I am so glad that her husband is now healthy again and they can continue to enjoy life. The money Danielle has raised will help the world class research into kidney care that takes place here at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.”

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