The nurse who donated a kidney to a stranger

A NHS nurse has donated one of her kidneys to a stranger after witnessing the plight of seriously ill patients waiting for a life saving transplant.

Nurse Linda McCready is now back at work at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children where she works as a member of the NISTAR team, transporting ill patients.

She said the decision to become a live donor was strongly influenced by her previous role as a critical care nurse in Craigavon Area Hospital.

"It's something I thought about for at least 10 years before I did something about it... It's someone who is in need and that's all that matters. What you are hoping to do is improve the quality of life for that individual person, their family and their children and for all those missed opportunities in their life," Linda told UTV.

There are currently 144 people in Northern waiting for a life saving organ or tissue transplant.

The Public Health Agency said that last year, 100 people waiting for an organ transplant had their lives saved by deceased organ donors.

A further 61 patients received a life-saving living transplant.

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