New woman. Medelina Maligalig.
A QUAKERS Hill woman given a new lease on life thanks to a kidney transplant plans to encourage others to become donors.
Medelina Maligalig said she has asked her husband, Andrew, several family members, friends and her work colleagues to make the commitment.
‘‘This is how I can repay the person who donated his kidney to me,’’ she said.
‘‘It made me a new person with energy and appetite.
‘‘I feel great and look forward to waking up to a new day.
‘‘My good news came when my husband and I were attending a Sydney Harbour cruise party in January.
‘‘I gave my husband a thumbs-up when a caller from the transplant unit told me a kidney is available for me.’’
Ms Maligalig said he was now looking forward to visiting the birthplace of her husband in Ireland, a trip that had to be put off several times because of her illness.
Monica Walker, a donation specialist nurse at Westmead Hospital, said every family needed to know each other’s wishes to make the decision easier.
“Some people find it difficult to bring up the subject of organ and tissue donation with family members, but having the discussion can help normalise the subject and make it more comfortable to talk about,’’ she said.