A MOTHER gives her child the gift of life and a Timperley man is hoping to return the favour by donating a kidney to his mum.


Bernadette Sale’s kidneys began to deteriorate around eight years ago but her son, 31-year-old Leo Long, was unaware she had heart disease as she ‘did not want to make a fuss’.


However, in March last year the 51-year-old’s medication began to stop working and she was rushed into hospital, where she remained for the next 10 months.
 

Leo lives on Stamford Brook, but has moved back to Stockport to look after his mum, where the family is originally from.


He said: “She underwent three emergency operations and on two occasions myself and my stepfather were informed that she had ‘more chance of dying than living’.


“Unfortunately, after the operations and my mother being on life support for two months, both kidneys had stopped working and my mother was then placed on a dialysis machine to help with the functions of the kidneys.”


The father of one wanted to look into donating a kidney as soon as his mother went into hospital, but was told this would not be possible due to the kidney function being non-critical, but as soon as Bernadette was put on dialysis, he ‘begged and pleaded’ that he be tested.


Once it was determined that he was a match, he said the process was fairly quick and he and Bernadette will undergo an operation on Friday, June 13.


“The operation is on the 13th which when found out I was worried,” joked Leo, who works in Sale in the finance industry.


He said he has ‘mixed feelings’ about the operation, but is trying to keep himself busy, particularly with preparations for a fundraising day being held by Timperley Conservative Club, where he is a member, on June 8.


All proceeds from the family charity day, which begins at 12pm, will be donated to British Kidney Patients Association, which provides financial and emotional support to people affected by kidney disease.


Leo added: “She’s my mum, a rock that you always expect to be there, pick you up and also put you in your place if needed when doing stupid things, one of the most amazing people I have in my life, seeing her on a life support machine, wow no one can prepare you for that, still to this day remembering what she and her husband have been through, just glad that I was a match.


“Even now having thoughts that she would never see her grandson walking and talking, small things in life you take for granted.”


• The Timperley Conservative Club fun day will be World Cup and Rio-themed. There will be a DJ, a raffle, a barbecue and more. All are welcome.