The kidney he gave, the life she regained

SHAH ALAM – When Suraya Ilani Abdullah discovered she had end-stage kidney disease, she was facing not only a health crisis but also the heartbreaking decision to end her first pregnancy due to the risks posed by her condition.

Suraya said she found out about her illness when she was nearly four months pregnant, after doctors informed her that her kidney function readings were extremely poor.

“When my pregnancy was approaching four months, doctors informed me that my kidney function readings were very poor (end-stage). The doctor advised me to terminate the pregnancy because the risk was very high,” she said in an interview with Sinar Daily.

Initially reluctant to follow the advice, Suraya eventually ended the pregnancy as her condition worsened as she approached five months of pregnancy.

After discussing her condition with the doctor, her husband, Mohd Rizuan M Salleh, asked what could be done to help her regain her health.

Their lives soon revolved around hospital visits as they underwent the transplant work-up process to determine whether Rizuan’s kidney was compatible with hers.

Suraya said receiving her husband’s kidney felt like a miracle.

“Receiving the organ felt like a miracle and a ‘second chance’ in my life,” she said.

The transplant allowed her to return to her daily activities and experience a life she once feared she might lose.

However, Suraya admitted the journey was not without fear.

“There was fear. But my husband was always the one who encouraged and gave me strength, even though he was the one who was going to donate his kidney,” she said.

Instead of worrying about herself, Suraya found herself more concerned about Rizuan, who was willing to undergo surgery and live with one kidney so she could continue living.

“I was more worried about him than myself because he was willing to make such a sacrifice for me. I worried about the risks of the surgery and whether the donated kidney would be compatible with my body,” she said.

With support from her husband, their families and the medical team, Suraya was able to face the challenges throughout the transplant journey.

She said she would always be grateful for Rizuan’s selflessness, adding that she was unsure whether she could have made the same decision if she were in his position.

“I am extremely grateful to my husband for his willingness to donate his kidney to me. If I were in his position, I do not know whether I would have been able to make the same decision,” she said.

Suraya also thanked her late mother, her family and her husband’s family, especially her mother-in-law, for standing by her throughout the difficult period.

Beyond individual stories like Suraya’s, a growing organ transplant community in Malaysia continues to support patients, transplant recipients, donors and their families while raising awareness about the importance of organ donation.

The community includes transplant recipients who share their experiences, healthcare professionals who provide guidance and advocates who work to encourage more Malaysians to understand the impact of organ donation. Through awareness programmes and support networks, they help bridge the gap between donor pledges and actual donations.

For many transplant recipients, receiving an organ is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a responsibility to care for the gift they have received and to help others understand the importance of organ donation.

For Suraya, the donated organ is not just a medical gift but a responsibility that carries the sacrifice and kindness of another person.

“This organ is the most valuable trust entrusted to me. I must take care of it as best as I can,” she said.

Today, Suraya hopes her experience will encourage more people to understand the meaning of organ donation – not merely as a medical procedure, but as an act that can give someone a second chance at life.

“Organ donation is not merely a medical procedure; it is an opportunity for a second chance at life – a chance for patients to live like everyone else,” she said.

Looking back on her journey, Suraya said she will always be grateful to organ donors and those who choose to register as donors, as their decision can change another person’s life.

“A small decision you make today could become the greatest ray of hope for someone else in the future,” she said.