Article written by Tom Bedford
Originally published by the Daily Mail (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)
A pet Doberman dog sniffed out a ‘perfect’ kidney donor for its dying owner against odds of one in 22million.
Lucy Humphrey, 44, was in desperate need of a life-saving kidney transplant when she took her dogs Jake and Indie to the beach for the day.
Excited Indie went running off to a stranger 100 yards away and wouldn’t leave her alone.
Ms Humphrey, who had just five years left to live, apologised to Katie James, 40, and the two women started chatting on the sands at Barry, South Wales.
Ms James discovered Ms Humphrey was waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant and revealed she had just gone on the donor register.
The pair swapped telephone numbers after Ms James said she would be happy to give her kidney to anyone who needed it.
Ms Humphrey said: ‘She had all the tests and it turned out she was a perfect match.
‘It was amazing – Indie almost sussed her out and chose her.
‘A surgeon told us it’s a one in 22million chance to find the perfect match, and that’s what I needed.’
Ms Humphrey suffered kidney failure after being diagnosed with Lupus, a condition that causes inflammation to the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and joints.
She and partner Cenydd Owen, 49, from Caerphilly, South Wales, had been due to take their camper van for a weekend break to Aberystwyth, 90 miles away.
But Ms Humphrey wasn’t well enough for the long journey so they went to their nearest beach where Katie was sitting in a deckchair crocheting a blanket.
Ms Humphrey said: ‘Indie kept going over to this woman about 100 yards away – we were calling her back but she wouldn’t leave her alone.
‘We thought she had food or something and in the end Cenydd went over to apologise because Dobermans can be a bit intimidating.
‘She was actually having quite a bad time herself, so I invited her to our barbecue.
‘She came over, bought some drink over with her, and offered me some.
‘Cenydd explained that I couldn’t drink as I was on dialysis. She was like: “Oh, what’s that for?” and he said I was waiting for a kidney transplant.’
After Ms James volunteered, the two women went into the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on October 3 last year.
The operation was a success and Lucy is now fully recovered and living a happy, normal life.
She said: ‘I really needed this transplant, I’d been on the waiting list for several years. It’s completely changed my life already.’
Ms Humphrey and her partner described Ms James as a ‘wonderful, selfless person’ who they can never thank enough.
Ms James, from Barry, said: I feel really lucky that I got to know Lucy, I know that it’s worked and I know that she’s out there living her life. To me, there’s been no negative to it whatsoever.
‘It’s the best thing I’ve ever done and I feel so proud of myself and my family are proud of me.’
Banner credit: Cenydd Owen