COVENTRY hairdresser Chanel Wakelin has thanked her dad Gary – for giving her the chance of a normal life again.
The 24-year-old’s world fell apart when she suffered kidney failure in September and was told she could wait months or even years for a suitable donor kidney.
But dad Gary, aged 44, came to therescue and offered his kidney – which turned out to be a perfect match – giving her the present of a lifetime just two days before Christmas.
The life-changing kidney transplant operation lasted five hours at Coventry’s University Hospital and has now been declared a complete success.
Now Chanel is back home recovering from the surgery and looking forward to living a normal life again.
The pair, who live in Woodway Park, spent Christmas Day in hospital but reckoned missing their usual family Christmas was a small price to pay.
Lorry driver Gary said: “I remember waking up after the operation and feeling really weak. I was quite nervous because I had no idea if Chanel was okay.
“The nurses were asking what I wanted for lunch but I was more concerned about Chanel. Getting out of bed was a real struggle but I took a very slow walk to see her in the room next door.
“We both said ‘thank God it’s over.’ Even the surgeons were shocked that it went so well.
“On Christmas Day we had family who came to the hospital and we opened the presents where Chanel was.
