Mother-of-two, 55, was going through loss of life with out kidney transplant when work colleague stepped in to donate her organ in time for Christmas

Few people can honestly say they would give up a kidney for a work colleague.

But when Tas Javaid was left desperately ill last year and needed a new organ to survive, her colleague Lisa O’Brien didn’t hesitate – giving her the best Christmas present she could have hoped for.

Mother-of-two Mrs Javaid, 55, was in kidney failure after decades spent battling polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which causes multiple cysts to develop within the vital organs.

Her kidneys were only functioning at four per cent and – without a transplant – her chances of survival were extremely poor.

Because the average waiting time for a kidney transplant in the UK is three years, with 6,300 people currently on the waiting list, some people turn to family members who can donate an organ if they are a match, based on their blood and tissue types.

But in Mrs Javaid’s case, no family members were compatible – so Miss O’Brien, a colleague at further education centre The Manchester College, where Mrs Javaid works as head of pastoral care, selflessly stepped forward to help.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Mrs Javaid said: ‘Lisa has been amazing – it’s a massive commitment from someone who isn’t related to me. I can’t describe how thankful I am to her for what she has done.

‘We knew of each other before, but this has strengthened the bond between us. We will be friends for life.’

Tas Javaid (right) received a kidney from Lisa O’Brien (left) – her colleague at The Manchester College

Was Javiad in her hospital bed prior to the transplant operation in which she received Miss O’Brien’s kidney 

Mrs Javiad at the Manchester Royal Infirmary shortly after her successful operation, being tended to by medical staff

Mrs Javaid, 55, who lives with husband Khurram, 50, and their two grown-up sons in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was diagnosed with PKD in her 30s.

Despite being stable for years on medication, her kidney function plummeted two years ago.

When Miss O’Brien realised that her blood type, O+, meant she could donate an organ to anyone – including Mrs Javaid, who is type B+ – she emailed the hospital to see if she could undergo further tests to see if she could be a match.

Of the 3,130 kidney transplants which took place on the NHS last year, around one quarter – 830 – were ‘live’ donations which come from donors like Miss O’Brien.

It took seven months of tests, but in December 2023, just in time for Christmas, doctors at Manchester Royal Infirmary confirmed the transplant could go ahead.

Miss O’Brien, 38, who lives in Manchester with partner Matthew Snowball and their eight-year-old daughter Mabel, sent Mrs Javaid the happy news in a Teams message at work.

Mrs Javaid said: ‘Neither of us expected she would be a perfect match, so we were so shocked. It was amazing.’

Miss O’Brien added: ‘I didn’t hesitate to save Tas. I went into our weekly work meeting every Friday, knowing what she was going through and I wanted to do something to help her.’

Mrs Javaid gives the thumbs-up after a grueling seven-hour op which helped to significantly restore her kidney function

The surgery took place in February. Lisa was in theatre for three hours to remove the organ, which was then transplanted into Mrs Javaid in a seven-hour op.

Afterwards, they were ‘so emotional’ and had a ‘big hug’, Mrs Javaid says. ‘My family all visited Lisa in hospital to thank her – they were all so grateful for what she did.’

While the transplant cannot cure PKD, it does significantly restore kidney function.

The only unusual consequence of surgery is that Mrs Javaid, who doesn’t drink, had a ‘bizarre’ craving for gin – Lisa’s tipple of choice.

A spokeswoman for Kidney’s for Life described such cases as ‘a wonderful gift’ and added: ‘We are delighted for Lisa and Tas that the transplant has turned out so well.’

For more information visit www.kidneysforlife.org