AS Amy Caulton cradles her son in her arms, she cannot help but think about the little boy who lost his life and saved hers.
The 28-year-old, who had a life-saving kidney transplant when she was nine, is celebrating a double milestone – becoming a mum and notching up 20 healthy years after her op.
"When I was growing up, I always wondered if I would be able to have a baby," said Amy, who lives in Hatton.
"I had to change all my medication before my fiance, Ant, and I could start trying, but even then I didn't know if I would get pregnant.
"Then it happened and I was over the moon. I think Seth is our little miracle. He's everything we wanted and more."
Even before Amy was born, doctors knew she might encounter renal problems in her life.
It was clear on the hospital scans that her kidneys were small.
Amy said: "My mum was told that I would probably need dialysis and a kidney transplant.
"I managed to keep going until I was seven and then I started having dialysis.
"To be honest, I think I coped really well. I had the treatment at home and my mum and dad both knew how to do it.
"I'd have it four times a day. Probably the hardest thing was having to stick to a low salt and potassium diet. That was tough because I couldn't have chips, crisps and chocolate."
Amy's details were added to the NHS Organ Donor Register as soon as she started her dialysis.
It took two years for a suitable match to become available.
"My blood group is quite rare and that made it hard to find me a kidney," said Amy, who went to John Port School in Etwall. "When I was little, I knew kids who were having their transplants just a few weeks after dialysis.
"For me, the wait was much, much longer. I don't think I was bothered at the time. I was young and obviously I didn't know the importance of the transplant.
"Now I'm a mum, I can't imagine how my own mum felt about it. She must have been so worried."
Amy received her donation from a young boy, who lost his life after being involved in an accident.
Many of his organs, including his other kidney, lungs and liver, were given to others.
"He saved the lives of so many people, including mine," said Amy, who works at Sainsbury's in Burton.
"For a while, my parents kept in touch with his mum and dad. They wrote to each other for a bit but they aren't in contact now.
"I will always feel indebted to the boy. He saved me."
After her transplant, Amy had a tough six months. She developed infections and had to go back into hospital. She also got pneumonia.
"I think my mum and dad regretted the transplant for a while because I had been so well on my dialysis," said Amy. "After about six months, things settled down and it was fantastic for me to say goodbye to the regular renal treatment."
Amy was 20 years old when her care, which had always been in Birmingham, was transferred to the Royal Derby Hospital.
But from the moment she received her new kidney, she has been under the watchful eye of her renal team.
Amy said: "When I talked to my consultant at Derby about wanting a baby, he was very supportive.
"He said he would have to change some of the drugs I took and that I would have to wait three months for the other medication to leave my system before I could try and get pregnant.
"Anthony and I were really happy. Obviously, we had to be patient because getting the medication right was important, but we were in no rush.
"It was my blood pressure pills that had to change."
Three months later, after Amy and Anthony had been given the green light to try for a baby, they received some wonderful news.
Amy was pregnant and she says Anthony, a 33-year-old avionics design and section leader with STC Twenty One in Derby, was in complete shock at the news.
"It was hilarious really," she said. "Ant and I had talked about just how long it might take me to get pregnant and I'd told him it could be a while.
"Obviously, because of my kidney transplant and all the medication I took, I thought it could take us a good year at least. Happily, that wasn't the case.
"I got pregnant straight away and I was so thrilled. Ant was too.
"It was everything we wanted."
Almost as soon as Amy revealed a positive pregnant test, she was back seeing the renal team at the Royal Derby Hospital.
Checks were immediately carried out on her kidney function and doctors were pleased with the results.
At her 12-week and 20-week scans, the growth of Amy's baby was closely monitored.
Every two weeks after that, she went back for further scans.
"I was looked after so very well," said Amy. "It was wonderful to have so many scans. I got a bunch of scan pictures and it was great to see the baby growing normally.
"At the 20-week scan, special attention was paid to Seth's kidneys. I guess everyone wanted to be sure that he was all right."
Baby Seth was born six weeks early at the Royal Derby Hospital. He weighed a tiny 4lbs 8ozs and was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit.
"When he was born his heart rate dropped and a tribe of medical people burst into the room," said Amy.
"He was rushed to the baby unit and a while later we were told that Seth might have to be transferred to Kettering.
"Thankfully, he didn't have to go because his condition improved."
Amy cannot thank the renal team at the Royal Derby enough. She says the care she receives is superb.
It is thanks to them, she says, that her health has continued to be good.
"Having a kidney transplant could have stopped me from enjoying life," she said.
"But that has not been the case. I've done some wonderful things, like work in America, and my health issues have never got in the way.
"And when I wanted Seth, the team at Derby were only too happy to support and help me.
"I don't know what the future holds, no-one does. But I'm so proud of what I have achieved and my son will know all about what I've been through when he's older.
"I want to give him the moon and the stars – and I will.
"Thanks to my kidney transplant at the age of nine, I've been able to have so much.
"I still think about the boy who lost his life and his parents who allowed me to have one of his kidneys.
"Of course, I will be forever grateful and now we've got Seth, it's even more vital for me to stay well."
DOCTOR Janson Leung, consultant nephrologist at the Royal Derby Hospital, said: "Kidney transplants save lives.
"Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub described transplantation as 'one of the great success stories of the latter half of the 20th century'.
"But more than that, kidney transplant allows the patients to live the lives that they would not be able to live otherwise.
"Women with advanced kidney disease or on dialysis would frequently be infertile. "Even if they could get pregnant, the pregnancy itself would be very risky to both the mother and the baby.
"However, after kidney transplantation, the fertility of the patient recovers very quickly and the pregnancy will be a lot safer.
"There are currently more than 10,000 people needing an organ transplant in the UK.
"Last year, the lives of 4,655 people were transformed by a transplant. Their success depends entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who make this life-saving gift."
