0:00:02 > 0:00:05Glasgow's skyline has changed.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10Four of the city's oldest hospitals have closed their doors.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13And Scotland's biggest and most talked-about hospital
0:00:13 > 0:00:15has taken over.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18My name's Davie. I'm going to take you for a wee X-ray, OK? Yeah.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Three-quarters of a million patients are treated here every year
0:00:22 > 0:00:25using state-of-the-art technology...
0:00:26 > 0:00:30I've got the manoeuvrability down there with the robot.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35..cutting-edge operations, and world-class scientific research.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38He said it had been grown in a laboratory in America.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39I'm going to be one of the first.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41That's quite good.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44This massive building
0:00:44 > 0:00:47is transforming health care in Scotland.
0:00:47 > 0:00:48There's nowhere else in Scotland
0:00:48 > 0:00:50that could have done everything that we've done.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53But is big necessarily better?
0:00:53 > 0:00:58I think on average we walk about 20 miles a day, which is a lot.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03I'm in an airport or I'm in a hotel. It's a cross between the two.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05And in a hospital this size,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08are they in danger of losing the human touch?
0:01:08 > 0:01:09Can you hear me?
0:01:09 > 0:01:11You could go home irredeemably mad
0:01:11 > 0:01:15if you spent all your time in a single room.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18It's all technology now. I don't like it at all.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20The hospital's absolutely wonderful.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23The staff can't be praised high enough.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24Fantastic.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
0:01:34 > 0:01:37is the largest acute hospital in the UK
0:01:37 > 0:01:41and home to many of Scotland's specialist services.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46The busy renal unit on the fourth floor is the sole provider
0:01:46 > 0:01:49of kidney transplants for adults in the West of Scotland.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58Staff here perform around 160 of these complex operations every year.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01And they care for over 600 patients on dialysis.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04Charge nurse Susan Easson moved here
0:02:04 > 0:02:07from Glasgow's old Western Infirmary.
0:02:07 > 0:02:08Hello, 4C sister.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Dialysis is taking over the job of the kidneys that aren't working
0:02:13 > 0:02:18properly. The patient has to be on it for at least four hours,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20generally three times a week.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Fully functioning kidneys filter waste products from the blood,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27turning them into urine and preventing
0:02:27 > 0:02:29the build-up of fluid in the body.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Dialysis is life-saving.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Whenever your kidneys stop working,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38the two things that will catch you very quickly are water,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41that you can't get rid of because that's what you pee out.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And potassium - a salt in your blood,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48that if it gets too high is very dangerous.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51And that will end your life very quickly.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Although dialysis keeps patients alive, it takes its toll.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Life on dialysis is brutal, it's absolutely brutal.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08You feel rubbish all the time.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11You feel drained because you're tired all the time.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15It might not sound all that much,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17because it's only four hours out your day,
0:03:17 > 0:03:18but when you are doing that,
0:03:18 > 0:03:24face that every single week in, week out, it's...
0:03:27 > 0:03:30You know, you can't live on dialysis forever.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33And the only way you can get away from that is with a transplant.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39But with over 5,000 people on the UK transplant list
0:03:39 > 0:03:43and only 36% of the population signed up to donate,
0:03:43 > 0:03:44it can be a long wait.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52The unit has just received a kidney from a deceased donor.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56It's a potential match for one of the hospital's long-term patients.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Surgeon Karen Stevenson must assess if it's fit for transplant.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03This is the kidney that's been delivered to the ward.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06It's delivered to the same place every time,
0:04:06 > 0:04:07and we have to sign it out of here
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and take it down to theatre so that we can prepare it and check it
0:04:11 > 0:04:13before we transplant it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19The patient has been called in to wait on standby.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Hello. I'm taking your blood pressure - is that OK?
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Yes.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25If the kidney is in good shape,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29it could be life-changing for 48-year-old Rose Mpofu.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease
0:04:33 > 0:04:36when I was about 22 years old.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40And I was basically told that my kidney function,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44because the kidneys have got little cysts in them,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48my kidney function would eventually deteriorate as I grow older.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52And I would need, I would come to a point where I would need dialysis,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55no question about it, or a transplant.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00Rose, who moved to Scotland from Zimbabwe 14 years ago,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03has been on the transplant list for over two years.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07I went on the list in April of 2014.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09And I got told because of my ethnicity
0:05:09 > 0:05:12that it would be difficult - not impossible,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15but it would be difficult to get a donor
0:05:15 > 0:05:18because there are not that many people, ethnic minorities,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21that are, you know, registered donors.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25People from the same ethnic background
0:05:25 > 0:05:27are more likely to be a close match.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30But with a shortage of ethnic minority donors,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34patients like Rose will wait an average a year longer
0:05:34 > 0:05:36for a kidney transplant.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43The longer a kidney is without a blood supply,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45the more likely the transplant will fail.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Karen needs to transplant this kidney within 16 hours.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Other organ transplants have to be done more quickly.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Hearts have to be in in a much shorter timeframe.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Kidneys, you've got a little more leeway with them.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06But we'll take it down to theatre now,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08we'll check it and then she'll come down to theatre
0:06:08 > 0:06:10as soon we can make that happen.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's a long waiting game now.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16A new kidney for Rose would transform her husband Gilbert's life, too.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Fingers crossed, fingers crossed.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24It's the quality of life, it's a big improvement on your quality of life,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26because, if you are living with
0:06:27 > 0:06:30kidney failure, it means that three days of your life, every day,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34every week, have to be given away to dialysis,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and you have to plan out your life
0:06:36 > 0:06:39around the trips to the renal unit
0:06:39 > 0:06:43every week. So if something could be done to reduce that
0:06:43 > 0:06:46or to eliminate that altogether,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49that would be more than she could ever ask for.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53As soon as I know, you will know, OK? I promise, all right?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Just hoping that all this waiting is going to be worth it
0:06:56 > 0:06:59in the end. So...
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Yeah, hang in there, hang in there.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Most dialysis patients have to make their way to the hospital for
0:07:09 > 0:07:12treatment. But some have it at home.
0:07:16 > 0:07:2020 miles north-west of the hospital in Balloch,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23one of the hospital's patients, Maureen Graham,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26has converted her spare room into a mini dialysis ward.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30This is what keeps me alive, you know.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35I'm just so grateful that this is a treatment that I can do, you know.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It's not great, it's not what you want for yourself,
0:07:38 > 0:07:39but it keeps me going.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43You know, I'm able to lead a normal life...ish.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45In between times.
0:07:46 > 0:07:4959-year-old Maureen has suffered from kidney disease
0:07:49 > 0:07:52for over 20 years, and has been on dialysis for 11.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Being hooked up to a machine makes life difficult enough.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01But Maureen must also restrict her fluid intake.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03I'm limited to 750 mls per day.
0:08:03 > 0:08:09So, 750 mls, that's two cans of Irn-Bru, 660.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14You know, so... That includes the milk in my cornflakes.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16I've not had soup for two years.
0:08:18 > 0:08:19Maureen's husband, David,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23helps her with dialysis every other day for four hours each time.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26We've more or less got this down to a fine art now.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27We've been doing it for awhile.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30First we had a few issues.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I think you thought you were hurting me, didn't you?
0:08:33 > 0:08:37I found it very stressful... in the early days.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39And to some extent it still is.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44It's not "poor Maureen" in her eyes.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48But let me tell you, what she does and what she goes through, nobody,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50even our closest friends don't really know
0:08:50 > 0:08:52just what she's subjected to.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57Years of dialysis have scarred Maureen's veins.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59If she continues with it,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02she could soon need major surgery on her blood vessels.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06For someone like Maureen, if she did not get a transplant,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09then she would die a lot quicker.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13And she would have a lot of difficulties in the last few years
0:09:13 > 0:09:14of dialysis.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Transplant is the answer.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18It's the only way.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21It's the only way forward. It's the only way to get our lives
0:09:21 > 0:09:22back to normality.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25What we do is...
0:09:27 > 0:09:28We're existing.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31You know, this is an existence, it's not a life.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Maureen's damaged blood vessels
0:09:36 > 0:09:38mean she needs a transplant soon.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40So a living donor is her best option.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45If you go on the waiting list for someone to die to get a kidney,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48quite often you'll get called up, brought in
0:09:48 > 0:09:50and for one reason or another it's not suitable to transplant,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and you come in and out, in and out, waiting.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56And you don't know how long you're going to wait.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59If you've got somebody who's going to give you a kidney,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02that's what's going to happen, there is a day and a time when it is going to happen.
0:10:02 > 0:10:03DOORBELL RINGS
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Maureen had to find someone who was willing
0:10:05 > 0:10:07to give up one of their own kidneys.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10It turned out her perfect match was her lifelong pal, Del.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Hello, are you all right?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14You're looking well. So are you, so are you.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18We've known each other a long time, Del. We have.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21I think about 45 years.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Oh, God, no, it's not that long!
0:10:25 > 0:10:27I think this is the
0:10:27 > 0:10:29oldest photograph I've got of us both together.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Do you remember that jacket? Yeah, seersucker.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Tartan seersucker. Oh, it was just awful, wasn't it?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38I thought I was it. Oh, you were! I was!
0:10:38 > 0:10:41And you still are! I still am!
0:10:41 > 0:10:42That's great.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46For me to be a match was just incredible.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51And if anybody was going to do it, I would rather it was me.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54So... Oh!
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Well... I know, I know.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01But... It's still just...
0:11:01 > 0:11:03It means so much to both of us, really.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06You know, we've been friends for years, through thick and thin.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11And for me to be able to do this for Mo, well, it's just confirmation,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14you know, of just how dearly I,
0:11:15 > 0:11:16you know, I love her, really.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22This selfless gift could be life-saving for Maureen.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25But Del will be left with just one kidney.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29And a small risk that she might need dialysis herself.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30Del's like a sister to me.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34She's always been like that. We've always been like sisters.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36And I try not to get emotional about it.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40I try not to think about it and just be matter of fact and,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43this is happening, that's happening.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45And then sometimes I just...
0:11:45 > 0:11:48The enormity of it just washes over me and I think...
0:11:49 > 0:11:52What?! What, really.
0:11:55 > 0:11:56There are no words.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59None.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Anyway...
0:12:01 > 0:12:02My pal.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12The Accident And Emergency department at the superhospital
0:12:12 > 0:12:16is the biggest in Scotland,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18seeing around 1,800 patients every week.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25One of the biggest changes introduced here
0:12:25 > 0:12:29is how emergency patients are treated.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31The difference in this hospital is
0:12:31 > 0:12:33that there is a separate unit which is called
0:12:33 > 0:12:35the Immediate Assessment Unit,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and that is actually where GP referrals go.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Hello, IAU, how can I help you?
0:12:40 > 0:12:43And that's been obviously a paradigm shift in terms
0:12:43 > 0:12:45of what we see.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49So the A department only treats genuine emergencies.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54It was hoped this new set-up would reduce waiting times.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57But even the new system has struggled to cope.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I think we're seeing that across everywhere in Scotland, England,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Wales, Northern Ireland.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05The hospitals especially now are at breaking point,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07because the admission rates are much higher,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and patients are unfortunately
0:13:09 > 0:13:11getting older and perhaps a wee bit iller,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15requiring more and more demand and more and more care.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18From road traffic accidents...
0:13:18 > 0:13:22He's had a penetrating wound from dashboard glass to his right pectoral.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24..to stabbings...
0:13:24 > 0:13:27A slash wound to the right side of his face, right the way round,
0:13:27 > 0:13:28almost level with his eye.
0:13:30 > 0:13:31..and falls...
0:13:32 > 0:13:34..the staff here see it all.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Somebody might have stabbed us.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Are you used to dealing with patients like this?
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Constantly, especially when it's football season.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47There's a team of 58 emergency doctors who work here.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49And once in awhile,
0:13:49 > 0:13:54they find even classic A cases can take an unexpected turn.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Well, basically after 35, 36 years,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01I decided to take up skateboarding again.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05And basically gave it a blast this morning,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07and everything was going really well.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10I thought I'd have one last run before I went home.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13And that was the run that didn't work out.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18And basically slammed into the concrete from a good few metres.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21And it looks like I've broken my ankle.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I don't know why I'm laughing!
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Because my wife won't be laughing.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29At all.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I think I'm going to have to tell her the good news now.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Hi, it's just me. Hi.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Right, you know how I said I thought I'd just twisted my ankle?
0:14:39 > 0:14:41In three places.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48I know. I know.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50I should have listened to you but...
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Hi, I'm Amit, one of the A consultants.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58How are you doing? I think you've seen Malcolm as well, so...
0:14:58 > 0:15:02We think you've got a fracture across a few of the bones of your ankle.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Right. So you might need an operation to fix it, OK?
0:15:05 > 0:15:10Before the operation, Neil's ankle must be manipulated back into place.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13This should actually clunk back in fairly quickly.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Right. You just need a good painkiller.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Right. The one that we actually use now more commonly is ketamine.
0:15:20 > 0:15:26Ketamine is a fairly powerful anaesthetic drug and it's quite unique.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28It works by dissociation.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33So the patient may be awake, but not aware of their surroundings.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Rather than being completely under, like some of the other anaesthetics.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40So think of somewhere nice.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42South Africa, that's where all my friends are.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Brilliant. A nice sunny day.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Think of happy times.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51And when you wake up we will have this plaster on for you.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54OK?
0:15:54 > 0:15:58You'll start to feel your eyes going slightly odd.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Wow!
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Ooh! So he's had some ketamine.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06It's pretty strong stuff.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09So he may scream out in pain or do any of this stuff.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11But he's actually unaware of what's going on.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Aaahh! God!
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Yee-ha!
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Oh, yeah!
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Open your eyes for me. Feel the burn.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Feel the burn. Good stuff.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28That's cool. Oo-ooh!
0:16:28 > 0:16:31As the team manipulates his ankle back into place...
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Ooh-ahh!
0:16:34 > 0:16:36..Neil is oblivious.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Ahhh!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Woo! Woo!
0:16:44 > 0:16:47A cast keeps Neil's ankle stable until his surgery.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50OK, Neil... Well done. That's you. That's us.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I'm the man!
0:16:55 > 0:16:58This is good!
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Yeah! Wow!
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Baby! Go for it!
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Sshh! Yeah!
0:17:07 > 0:17:09OK, Neil. Excellent!
0:17:09 > 0:17:14Woo-oo-oo!
0:17:14 > 0:17:17That's you. You've got your plaster on, OK?
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Already? Yeah.
0:17:20 > 0:17:21You did well. Come on.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22That's you done, OK?
0:17:23 > 0:17:27You had quite a good wee trip there, all right, so we'll leave you to it.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31That's the best skate... Here's your goggles back on.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32Snake line...
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Long roll snake tube ever.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38OK. I think he liked it!
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Yeah!
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Get on board!
0:17:42 > 0:17:47So his reaction was probably slightly atypical,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50but it was still a positive reaction.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Wipe-out!
0:17:53 > 0:17:56But his is a more interesting reaction so far.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Hi. Neil. Is it Neil Buchanan?
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Yeah, I'm suffering. Leave me alone.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Can I ask you a couple of questions?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05How rad am I? No!
0:18:07 > 0:18:08Is your ankle sore? How are you feeling?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11I'm feeling like I could probably walk across the ceiling on it.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Dancing on the ceiling? Yeah, Lionel Rich Tea.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19# What a feeling! Dancing on the ceiling. #
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Neil's wife has come to join the party.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Are you away with it?
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Yeah. What are you like?
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Feeling a bit woozy? It was brilliant.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It was really good. I'm sure it was.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43I just remember it being really bright and colourful,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and everybody just went...
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It was something like a cross
0:18:47 > 0:18:49between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and The Matrix, with skateboards and surfboards.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55And it was really cool.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Honest to goodness, what are you like?
0:18:58 > 0:19:01This is the one occasion that I wish I wasn't right.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03That skateboard is going in the bin.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05See you later. All right.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Cheers.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Neil's next trip is up to the ward to wait for his surgery.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Thanks, boys.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28The sprawling hospital campus is one of the largest in western Europe,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31and equal to the size of 39 football pitches.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It's like a town in itself.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39David is trying to navigate his way to the renal and transplant unit.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Tomorrow, Del will give his wife, Maureen, her kidney.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45The two couples have travelled from the shores of Loch Lomond
0:19:45 > 0:19:48to prepare for the big day.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50This is the main entrance to the hotel.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Hotel!
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Well, it is like a hotel. They're going on a holiday, these two.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00Where is Maureen?
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Where is Maureen?
0:20:03 > 0:20:07David Kingsmore is one of six permanent transplant surgeons
0:20:07 > 0:20:10here in Scotland's busiest renal department.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13He has known Maureen for 11 years.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Right, are you decent now? Hello.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Hello. Lovely to see you. And you.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22The first thing you know is you will get pushed down to theatre,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25probably about 11 o'clock, 11:30, they'll be sending for you.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Really? Yeah, yeah.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29It's Mr Clancy doing Del's side.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31He's very fast, actually.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32Good, right. See you tomorrow.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It's great. I'm glad we are here. Good. Good.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Kind of looking forward to it. More than we are!
0:20:39 > 0:20:40See you later then.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42See you tomorrow.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Bye-bye. She does dip quite a lot.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Del's kidney will be removed by surgeon Marc Clancy.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53He has the unusual job of performing surgery
0:20:53 > 0:20:55to remove a perfectly healthy organ.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59There is a theoretical risk that if you reduce the amount
0:20:59 > 0:21:01of kidney function someone has,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04they may run into problems in the long term themselves.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07But we make sure the risk of that is absolutely minimised.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09We don't want patients donating their kidneys
0:21:09 > 0:21:12to have any risk of ending up on dialysis themselves.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13We can't make that risk zero.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16We have to be honest. But we make that risk very, very small.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I'm going to see Del now,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23to say hello. We haven't really met before.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Hello, hello. I'm David Kingsmore.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Hello, hello. Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29All set for tomorrow?
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Yes, yeah. It's quite a big thing to go through.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Your side is the harder side.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Yeah. It's much harder.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39And you'll find it a right hard knock to your system.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Yeah. There are no two ways about it.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Sometimes you may need a blood transfusion,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46you get problems with the wounds.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50The second, third day you'll feel pretty glum and down.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52You'll be sore, your tummy will be all blown up.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55And you'll just feel absolutely miserable.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57And you have nothing good to show for it.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The only gain you get is that you will actually
0:22:00 > 0:22:01have saved somebody's life.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03That's a great thing to do.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Thank you. There are not many people sitting in your seat,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10you know, stepping up for it.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It's a great thing. I admire people who do it.
0:22:12 > 0:22:13Thank you very much.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17See you tomorrow then. All right, very nice meeting you.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19And you. Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22It's vastly more stressful to do a live donor transplant
0:22:22 > 0:22:24than any other kind.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27There are two people putting their lives on the line, not one.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31One of them will start off very fit and healthy,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and their life is on the line to make a difference to somebody else.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Not only are you thinking about the person receiving it,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39but somebody else has put their life on the line
0:22:39 > 0:22:40to give you that opportunity.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42You met Mr Kingsmore?
0:22:42 > 0:22:43He's lovely.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Yeah. Great guy, isn't he? Yeah,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50but he told me just exactly how I was going to be feeling!
0:22:51 > 0:22:54You know, I was thinking, you're not really selling this to me!
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Did you say that to him? No!
0:22:56 > 0:22:58I might not like you for a few days.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59But...
0:22:59 > 0:23:03That's what I'm worried about.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07I know. But so long as it works out for you, that's the main thing, so...
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Fingers crossed.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13At the superhospital,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15it's much more common for a kidney transplants to come
0:23:15 > 0:23:17from a deceased donor.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19But in Rose's case,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22it has taken two years to find a potential match.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Now she is waiting to find out if the kidney is suitable for transplant.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Hi, Rose? Hi.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Hiya.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40So, we heard back from the tissue typing lab.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43And the crossmatch test is negative,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46and that means we can go ahead with the transplant.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Oh, thank you. We will get you sent down to theatre and we will take
0:23:50 > 0:23:52things from there. All right?
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Any questions for me just now?
0:23:54 > 0:23:56No, I'm all questioned out.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59All right. No bother.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00OK, so we'll see you soon.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03All right? Bye-bye. Thank you very much.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10SHE SOBS It's hard.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15When someone is called in for a transplant,
0:24:15 > 0:24:16they go through an absolute mixture.
0:24:16 > 0:24:21And they're kind of - they go through a wave.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26They feel absolute excitement, trepidation and they are very,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29very excited. Thank you.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32And then they do, they certainly do hit a wall, and...
0:24:34 > 0:24:35..they become...
0:24:38 > 0:24:42They start to really start feeling about the donor's family and they
0:24:42 > 0:24:44really start
0:24:44 > 0:24:48wondering about that person and that family.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I feel so relieved, like a weight
0:24:55 > 0:24:57has been...taken off me.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Just feeling emotional right now and again...
0:25:02 > 0:25:05I keep on thinking of my donor and...
0:25:07 > 0:25:08I'm just so grateful.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12Someone's family...
0:25:14 > 0:25:19..has been improved by someone's worst nightmare.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22And we get to see that.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25And it really is, it's life-changing.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28And it's incredible.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29And it's a gift.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I'm just so, so thankful.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37This is going to make such a huge,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40huge difference to my life.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52At last, Rose has a match, but there's still a long way to go.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57There's no guarantee that a kidney transplant will work.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00We still have kidneys that we occasionally put in
0:26:00 > 0:26:02that either don't work for quite a while,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05or, on the very rare occasion, never work.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Overall, it's by far and away the most...
0:26:11 > 0:26:15..effective way of treating renal failure.
0:26:16 > 0:26:22In terms of people's quality of life, and in terms of the costs,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26having a transplant is actually a much cheaper way
0:26:26 > 0:26:29to look after someone than having them on dialysis.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38It's nearing midnight and Rose has finally been called to surgery.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43If everything goes to plan,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46the procedure should take no more than four hours.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47Can I get a small swab, please?
0:26:51 > 0:26:55It takes Karen and the team just over two hours to get to the crucial
0:26:55 > 0:26:57moment of sewing in the kidney.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59So that is the kidney re-perfused.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02So the blood supply is being put back to the kidney.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06But almost immediately, Karen notices a problem.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10There's actually some bleeding in there.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12That's a little unusual.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19So I'm just going to sit with my finger on it for a bit,
0:27:19 > 0:27:20see if it stops,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23before I join the ureter on to the bladder.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33I'm just hoping that the operation will be a success.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35That's all we are praying for right now.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39That something good will come out of what has been going on today.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Can I get some wash, please?
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Karen has been able to stop the bleeding.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Now there's one last check to make sure the transplant has worked.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51What we'll do know is, once we close the skin,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54we will scan it to make sure there is blood going in and out of it,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57and round it. And that's all we have to do.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00There is blood flow there.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01Which is all we need to see.
0:28:04 > 0:28:09After almost three hours of surgery, Rose is taken to recovery.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27When the old Yorkhill Children's Hospital closed its doors for good
0:28:27 > 0:28:29in the summer of 2015,
0:28:29 > 0:28:34almost 2,000 members of staff moved south across the river into the new
0:28:34 > 0:28:36Royal Hospital for Children.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41This centre of excellence is the biggest in Scotland,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44treating children of all ages up to 18 years old.
0:28:45 > 0:28:50At the heart of the hospital is this huge 70-foot high atrium,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53designed to make waiting for appointments much more fun.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Today, it's been turned into an Olympic arena.
0:29:00 > 0:29:01Today, we've got the Olympics,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05we've brought them to the Royal Hospital For Children in Glasgow.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09We've got lots of different sports for the children,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11so that they can share the excitement
0:29:11 > 0:29:13and enter into the spirit of the Olympics.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15CHEERING AND LAUGHTER
0:29:19 > 0:29:21As Spider-Man tees off on the roof...
0:29:23 > 0:29:24Ooh!
0:29:24 > 0:29:28..there's another superhero in the neuroscience ward.
0:29:28 > 0:29:29Good shot.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Can you point it at the ten? See the board?
0:29:34 > 0:29:35Oh, good shot, well done!
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Four-year-old Laurie is recovering from surgery
0:29:39 > 0:29:42to remove a brain tumour the size of a golf ball.
0:29:44 > 0:29:45Good shot!
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Laurie came into the hospital with a brain tumour,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52and she had to have that removed about two weeks ago.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55And she just turned a corner on Monday, she started speaking again,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58and talking and walking.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01It was just really, really, really good progress.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03We're so excited. It's great.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08After her operation, Laurie was in a bad way.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12She couldn't talk or walk for ten days.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15'Today was the first time she's walked any distance.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19'She's only done two or three steps in the room that we've got,
0:30:19 > 0:30:20'and at physio.'
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Who's my wee champion?
0:30:22 > 0:30:25'So today she's walked from her room all the way round to the playroom
0:30:25 > 0:30:30'and back again, with a bit of support, which...'
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Cloud nine, cloud nine. Couldn't be any better.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36You've done such a good job, darling. That was awesome!
0:30:38 > 0:30:39Where's my cuddles?
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Thank you. Will we phone Daddy and telling that you've
0:30:43 > 0:30:45been walking about? Yeah. Yeah? Eh?
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Laurie's being cared for in the children's neuroscience ward,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55which shares staff with the Institute Of Neurological Sciences,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58the largest centre of its kind in Scotland.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01It's just one area of medicine that's benefited
0:31:01 > 0:31:04from the design of the super hospital.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Because the children's hospital and the adult hospital
0:31:08 > 0:31:12are interconnected, medical expertise can be shared.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16This has been shown to improve patient outcomes and survival rates.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22Neurosurgeon Roddy O'Kane works between both hospitals.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26From my viewpoint, it's been brilliant to have the
0:31:26 > 0:31:28kids' hospital move over here.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32It means that I can be across a corridor
0:31:32 > 0:31:34and, essentially, be at the children's hospital,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36and then cross back and I'm back at the adult hospital.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39And so you find that your ability to see patients that you've been
0:31:39 > 0:31:43dealing with on and off over a while,
0:31:43 > 0:31:45you can maintain that much better.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55Eight-year-old Isla was admitted through children's A yesterday.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58She has a genetic condition that causes hydrocephalus,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01where fluid accumulates in the brain,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04causing debilitating headaches.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06It'll give you such a bad headache,
0:32:06 > 0:32:08you'll not be able to participate in activities of daily living.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12So she will get worse and worse as this goes on.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14It'll affect her vision.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16And, obviously, if you have very severe headaches,
0:32:16 > 0:32:18you're not able to learn. But ultimately it would lead to
0:32:18 > 0:32:21coma and then on to death.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25The build-up of pressure can become catastrophic within hours,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27so Roddy needs to operate today.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29If you come in, you're in the main seat.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33OK? And Gran's going to take that seat on the side, OK?
0:32:34 > 0:32:37That's my brain. That's your brain.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Can you believe it? The next time somebody says to you,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42"You don't have a brain," you can say, "Well, I've seen it,"
0:32:42 > 0:32:45and I bet they won't have seen theirs. OK?
0:32:45 > 0:32:48'Dealing with children is different to dealing with adults,
0:32:48 > 0:32:49'there's no doubt about that.'
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Dealing with very young children, it's about trying to get them
0:32:52 > 0:32:55to understand what they have, why they have it,
0:32:55 > 0:32:56why you're going to do things,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58why you might do things that mightn't be very pleasant in the
0:32:58 > 0:33:01short-term, and try to get them on board.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05So it's more time-consuming and a very different way of working.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07So, you see this white bit here?
0:33:07 > 0:33:10That's fluid that everybody has in their brain.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12The brain has a brain water, OK?
0:33:12 > 0:33:15And it's kind of made and it's made all the time,
0:33:15 > 0:33:17and it gets drained all the time.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21So, what happens is sometimes there's a blockage
0:33:21 > 0:33:24because the brain water kind of travels from here,
0:33:24 > 0:33:25the whole way down, block.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28You know the pipes at home?
0:33:28 > 0:33:30If they get blocked, you have to get a plumber?
0:33:30 > 0:33:32OK. And that's blocked there.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35And that's made this one very big, OK?
0:33:35 > 0:33:37We can't leave you with that, cos that's what's giving you
0:33:37 > 0:33:40the really bad headaches, OK? And it'll affect your vision.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42But do you know what? There's a wee layer there
0:33:42 > 0:33:44and I can pop a hole through it.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47So the water will have a new way of going round your brain,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51and it'll get absorbed and your headache will get better.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Does that sound like a good idea?
0:33:53 > 0:33:55So I'm kind of like a brain plumber.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Yeah? Except I'll come on time and I won't charge you!
0:33:58 > 0:34:00LAUGHTER
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Say high-five. High-five for that?
0:34:02 > 0:34:03Go on.
0:34:03 > 0:34:04I'll follow in a wee second.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09If you're operating on children, you're very nervous.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12I have my own children, and so...
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Isla is the same age as one of my daughters,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17so you can't help but transpose that onto your thoughts.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19But you have to try and remain objective,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21you have to just try and remember what you're there to do,
0:34:21 > 0:34:26do your job, try to remove the emotion from it and get on with it.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Can you tell me how you feel about having the operation?
0:34:29 > 0:34:32I'm not feeling good about the operation.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Why not? Cos it scares me.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Without the operation, Isla's brain will be under increasing pressure
0:34:41 > 0:34:43and she could go into a coma.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46But the surgery she needs is not without risk.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Every procedure I do will carry a risk to life,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52and I have to let you know that. Yeah, yeah, I know. OK?
0:34:52 > 0:34:55And so pardon me for being explicit about it. No, it's fine.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57The big risk is there is a big artery that
0:34:57 > 0:35:01supplies the brainstem down here, just where we make the hole, OK? OK.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03And that's the big danger with it.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05So the risk is very small with it.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08But it's there and it's obviously very, very serious.
0:35:08 > 0:35:09OK? But...
0:35:11 > 0:35:14..if she were my daughter... Yeah. ..this is exactly what I would do,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17with complete conviction. I'm leaving her in your hands. OK.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Well, I'll look after as if she was my daughter, OK? Yes, right.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22That's fine. So we'll get her down there and I'll come
0:35:22 > 0:35:24and talk to you afterwards. OK. How long does it take?
0:35:24 > 0:35:26The procedure, it takes about an hour to set up the equipment,
0:35:26 > 0:35:31and 20 minutes to do the procedure. You're joking me? Yeah.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Within an hour, Isla will be taken for her life-saving surgery.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Back in the adult hospital, Rose,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44who received a deceased donor's kidney,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47is recovering from her surgery.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50She can finally enjoy a glass of water,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52after years of fluid restriction.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56It's one of those things that people take for granted.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00But for me, oh, absolutely pleasure, a fabulous moment.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03To be able to be told you can drink as much as you like, oh...
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Unbelievable.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Unbelievable. That's all I can tell you.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18It just... It's amazing, really.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22It's amazing. It's water, but like you've never tasted before.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26# Every day
0:36:26 > 0:36:29# Every day
0:36:29 > 0:36:32# Every hour. #
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Rose's friends have come to give thanks for her kidney.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40THEY SING IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGE
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Rose is like a sister to us,
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and we've been with her through the journey.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50We've been waiting for a transplant for over two years.
0:36:53 > 0:36:54She's a very strong woman.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56She's a very good fighter.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58And we knew one day it's going to happen,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01so we are very, very, very happy.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08It's the best thing anyone could ever do, to donate their kidney.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Thank you for everything.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18'It's vitally important that people understand
0:37:18 > 0:37:21'how important donation is.'
0:37:21 > 0:37:22Donation is everything.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27There will always be technicians like me to sew things in.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29There's not any number of people who will give kidneys.
0:37:33 > 0:37:3644% of Scotland's population has signed up to donate
0:37:36 > 0:37:41their organs after they die - well above the UK average.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44But there are still around 500 people waiting
0:37:44 > 0:37:46for a kidney transplant in Scotland.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50If only everyone had a friend like Del.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Right, Del. OK. I shall see you...
0:37:53 > 0:37:55You shall. ..when you're asleep. Yeah!
0:37:55 > 0:37:59Del is taken to surgery first to have her kidney removed.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02If all goes to plan, Maureen will take her place in theatre
0:38:02 > 0:38:05and have Del's kidney transplanted into her.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Surgeon David will have the job of sewing the kidney in,
0:38:11 > 0:38:15but first his colleague, Marc Clancy, must remove it.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17It's always very stressful to be operating
0:38:17 > 0:38:19on a perfectly well person.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21The stakes are very, very high.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25It's probably the highest stress operation that I do.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32First done in the 1950s, and the surgical operation will be
0:38:32 > 0:38:34exactly the same as it was done in Boston way back then.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Sewing the same bits of the kidney to the same places.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40It's tried and trusted.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Can I have the table up a bit, Neil, please?
0:38:43 > 0:38:45I'm starting.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Marc is using keyhole surgery.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49He's made three cuts in her belly
0:38:49 > 0:38:53and is using tiny probes and a camera to carry out the procedure.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59I'm trying not to put anything hot on the colon.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Del will recover faster, with less pain, after this type of surgery.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07So if you scan slightly down into the left, as we look.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10'Whilst we've done everything we can to refine the process'
0:39:10 > 0:39:13and make it as safe as it can possibly be, we believe
0:39:13 > 0:39:15there are still risks to having major surgery
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and to having a healthy, functioning part of your body
0:39:18 > 0:39:20removed for no benefit to yourself.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27Two floors up, Maureen knows she'll only be called for surgery
0:39:27 > 0:39:30if Del's kidney is successfully removed.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32Quite nervous this morning.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35Anxious about what's happening to Del,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38wondering if everything's going to plan.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Hoping it is, hoping she's OK.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Just, you know, lots of things going through your head.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49She absolutely does not know how amazing this is.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51She just doesn't. She just doesn't.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56But she wants my life to change, she sees how I struggle.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Right, you see the pale looking stuff beneath?
0:40:04 > 0:40:07That's the surface of kidney there, coming into view.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13It takes just 90 minutes to prepare Del's kidney for extraction.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Can you please call David to theatre, Val?
0:40:18 > 0:40:21I've dissected the kidney on all sides from its surrounding tissues.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23It's now attached by a ureter, an artery and a vein.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27The most critical part of the operation
0:40:27 > 0:40:32is the three minutes or so it takes to divide the two vessels
0:40:32 > 0:40:35and remove the kidney, and you'll notice I say a little prayer.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I've got my own special prayer for that situation,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40which you'll see in a minute.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42OK? Yeah, yeah.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46One, two, three,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49four, five, six, seven.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52All good surgeons go to heaven.
0:40:56 > 0:40:57OK?
0:40:57 > 0:40:59Scissors.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00This kidney is now attached by nothing.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02It has no blood supply to it.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06It's to all intents and purposes like a person swimming underwater.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11And now I have to take it out, and I take it out just here,
0:41:11 > 0:41:13and I'm going to give it to David to go and prepare it.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17So, that's nice.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19Here is the kidney, there's the ureter.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21It's lovely, it's really good.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26That went smoothly. Beautiful kidney is out, patient is dry.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30We've made the minimum cuts that we can really make.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33It's a couple of days in hospital, a rapid recovery,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36and you remain a healthy person for the rest of your life.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38So it's a fantastic gift,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41and you come out of it the other end
0:41:41 > 0:41:43with your perfect health intact, we hope.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46And yet you can give a tremendous amount of good health to your
0:41:46 > 0:41:48loved one.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51As Marc stitches Del back up...
0:41:51 > 0:41:57Scissors, please. ..David checks the kidney is suitable for transplant.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59So, that's me wrapping the kidney up in bags.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02There's the kidney in there, nice and happy and healthy,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04there's a bit of fluid around it, no ice around it.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07And then I'll be packing it into a box of ice...
0:42:09 > 0:42:12..where we keep it safe till we get Maureen ready to go.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Good luck, David. Hope it all goes smoothly.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21Del's kidney is stored on ice while she's taken to recovery.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Good.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26But for Maureen, the critical moment is yet to come.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28There we go.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Del's operation has taken place in one of the adult hospital's
0:42:38 > 0:42:3920 theatres.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Over in the children's hospital,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48one of their nine theatres is gearing up for young Isla's surgery.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52It's just one hour after she saw neurosurgeon Roddy O'Kane.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54Scans are up, equipment's ready.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56Lucky socks are on.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Her painful headaches should be relieved
0:43:00 > 0:43:03by removing the fluid building up in her brain.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06So this medicine sometimes feels a little bit tingly
0:43:06 > 0:43:08as it goes up your arm.
0:43:08 > 0:43:09LAUGHTER
0:43:13 > 0:43:16Isla's condition is commonly treated by implanting a shunt,
0:43:16 > 0:43:22a thin plastic tube which drains fluid from the brain into the tummy.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25But Roddy is using a more cutting-edge approach,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27which should last Isla a lifetime.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31The alternative strategy,
0:43:31 > 0:43:35and probably a bit more contemporary in terms of neurosurgery,
0:43:35 > 0:43:39is where we pass an endoscope into the fluid lakes of the brain
0:43:39 > 0:43:43and make a hole so that the fluid can bypass a different way.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46OK. Knife again.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50Opening a head and manipulating brain or manipulating blood vessels
0:43:50 > 0:43:54around brain, there's risks of infection,
0:43:54 > 0:43:57there's a risk of causing a stroke.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00You could go under a procedure and actually come out worse.
0:44:00 > 0:44:01And there's the risk to life.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06Roddy has drilled through Isla's skull so that he can release
0:44:06 > 0:44:09the fluid putting pressure on her brain.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14OK, that's me. You can see the brain water coming out.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16There we go. I'd say that's pressure.
0:44:16 > 0:44:17Trevi Fountain.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22OK, lovely. Top lights down, please.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27The pressure has been released, but the most risky part
0:44:27 > 0:44:29is still to come.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31They need to make a hole in the base of Isla's brain
0:44:31 > 0:44:34to divert the fluid permanently.
0:44:34 > 0:44:38This delicate procedure requires two surgeons.
0:44:38 > 0:44:39OK, that's all you.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41Roddy is operating the camera,
0:44:41 > 0:44:45while trainee surgeon Paul Fyvie makes the hole which will allow the
0:44:45 > 0:44:47blocked fluid to flow freely.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Give us a wee push. Nice and gentle.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54It's not the speediest. OK, just gentle back, come back a bit.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57OK.
0:44:57 > 0:44:58OK, inflate.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03OK, and back out.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07It's certainly wafting a hell of a lot more.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09OK. Top lights on.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15It's taken just 20 minutes,
0:45:15 > 0:45:18but Roddy won't know if Isla is OK until she comes round.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26The sigh of relief doesn't come at that stage when you've
0:45:26 > 0:45:29finished the operation. It comes when the patient wakes up
0:45:29 > 0:45:30and they're not damaged.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34Isla? Time to wake up.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Has she moved stuff yet? Has she moved?
0:45:41 > 0:45:42Yeah.
0:45:47 > 0:45:48There we go. Are you OK there?
0:45:50 > 0:45:51That's your operation all over.
0:45:53 > 0:45:54Can you wiggle your toes?
0:45:59 > 0:46:01At this stage in the journey,
0:46:01 > 0:46:05I'm just kind of glad to be here right now having not damaged her,
0:46:05 > 0:46:06now just to see what happens.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10We'll see how she progresses over the next few days.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Probably get a scan of her within the next five days
0:46:12 > 0:46:14to see if we've got function and...
0:46:15 > 0:46:18..flow through the hole we've made.
0:46:18 > 0:46:19And see how she progresses.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Isla is back in the children's neuroscience ward.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29She's survived the operation,
0:46:29 > 0:46:32but Roddy must wait to find out if her headaches have gone.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45There are 38 operating theatres across the hospital campus,
0:46:45 > 0:46:47and they all need blood on standby.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52The haematology and blood transfusions unit
0:46:52 > 0:46:56stores and tests blood for every hospital department.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59Here they process 10,000 blood samples every day,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02using the longest automated tracks in Europe.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06Hi, how you doing? How are you doing, all right?
0:47:06 > 0:47:11In a year, the blood transfusion unit takes in 18,000 units of blood,
0:47:11 > 0:47:14more than any other blood bank in Scotland.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18On a daily basis, it could be anything between 50 and 100 units
0:47:18 > 0:47:21of various things. Probably more, sometimes.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25Getting the blood to where it's needed in a hospital
0:47:25 > 0:47:26this size is no mean feat.
0:47:28 > 0:47:32This is a big campus. You know, we stretch from one end, neuroscience,
0:47:32 > 0:47:35right over to maternity, and both the adult
0:47:35 > 0:47:38and children's hospital in between, so we're quite a big area,
0:47:38 > 0:47:40quite a bit geography to cover.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43So we have a number of blood fridges deployed within the hospital,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46so that facilitates the management of blood to the patients.
0:47:47 > 0:47:52In theatre block, blood is stored in this automatic blood dispenser.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54MACHINE: Enter your personal ID number.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56It works like a vending machine,
0:47:56 > 0:47:59speeding up getting blood into theatre by 15 minutes,
0:47:59 > 0:48:03which can make a significant difference to a patient's chances.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Remove the unit from the tray.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09And it could supply blood for Maureen's transplant operation.
0:48:10 > 0:48:11Should she need it.
0:48:15 > 0:48:16Here we go.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20Less than two hours after Del's kidney was removed,
0:48:20 > 0:48:23Maureen's being prepared for surgery.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27Six scissors. One, two, three, four, five, six.
0:48:27 > 0:48:28Right, perfect.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30'Whenever you get to know somebody,
0:48:30 > 0:48:33'it's nice to be able to close the circle.'
0:48:33 > 0:48:37This is, for me, very important, to see it finished.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45Although David Kingsmore has performed over 100 transplants,
0:48:45 > 0:48:47he never takes it lightly.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52So, for me, this is where it starts getting stressful.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55I don't sleep the night before doing these things.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57Is it all transplants, or...?
0:48:57 > 0:49:00No, live donors are very stressful.
0:49:00 > 0:49:01Have you got the punch? Thanks.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Just need the tension kept in a very certain way.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08As Del recovers upstairs...
0:49:09 > 0:49:12..it's finally time for her pal to receive her extraordinary gift.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17'This is her last chance.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19'You know, she's not getting any younger,
0:49:19 > 0:49:22'and the years that she's been on dialysis,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25'it does take a toll on your body.'
0:49:25 > 0:49:27That's a good view. That's nice.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30It's a wee bit awkward, but it looks pretty good.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34'This is the start of a new life for her,
0:49:34 > 0:49:36'so I'm just dead chuffed I'm able to help her.'
0:49:39 > 0:49:41All righty, so that's us sewn the kidney in,
0:49:41 > 0:49:45so now's the moment of truth to see how it all does.
0:49:45 > 0:49:46Now cut.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50So, that's the kidney now open.
0:49:50 > 0:49:51See it change colour.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54And it's gone that purple colour.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58That's it, it's done. That's the kidney in.
0:49:58 > 0:49:59We haven't finished off the operation,
0:49:59 > 0:50:01but that's the kidney pretty well in,
0:50:01 > 0:50:03and nice and healthy and there's nice bleeding
0:50:03 > 0:50:05from the surface there. A wee touch there.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07So that's it now.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09We can relax quite a good bit. That's lovely.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15Good.
0:50:15 > 0:50:16Good. The job's a good 'un.
0:50:17 > 0:50:22We can all wake her up and have a cup of tea.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24And that's us, so that's great.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26See you all later. See you. Ciao.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28I'll still be kind of worried tonight,
0:50:28 > 0:50:31and I'll be phoning up two or three times during the night
0:50:31 > 0:50:32to see if she's OK.
0:50:32 > 0:50:35And if she gets through the next 24-hours without any bleeding
0:50:35 > 0:50:40or terrible problems, then I'll be a lot more relaxed.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43When she walks out of hospital feeling well, then I'll relax.
0:50:48 > 0:50:53It's 16 hours since Isla's surgery to remove fluid from her brain.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58Surgeon Roddy O'Kane wants to find out if her debilitating headaches
0:50:58 > 0:50:59have gone.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02So, Isla, overnight, no temperatures?
0:51:02 > 0:51:04No, no problem at all. She's been fine. Been fine.
0:51:04 > 0:51:06And no problems with vision or anything like that?
0:51:06 > 0:51:08Nope, nothing like that at all. OK.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12Hello. Morning. How are we?
0:51:13 > 0:51:15I have a question.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18When I put my head up and down, it sounds like water.
0:51:18 > 0:51:19It sounds like water?
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Do you hear a kind of squishing sound?
0:51:22 > 0:51:25Yeah, that's just because your brain is getting used to
0:51:25 > 0:51:26having drained the water.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30Sometimes you'll feel a wee bit of swish-swishy inside your head.
0:51:30 > 0:51:31It'll all settle down.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33Has the headache gone, sweetie?
0:51:33 > 0:51:35Yep. Yeah? OK.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37So, all very well from this point of view.
0:51:37 > 0:51:38The wound looks nice and dry.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42So, fingers crossed!
0:51:42 > 0:51:44High-five me. Good, good.
0:51:44 > 0:51:45OK.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Early days yet, but every hour you move from surgery,
0:51:50 > 0:51:52the more stable the situation gets.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54So we've got to watch her closely over the next few days.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57We'll want to get a scan on her to check that this procedure
0:51:57 > 0:51:59we done is working.
0:51:59 > 0:52:00But we're doing well.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09This is my balloon that Nan brought.
0:52:11 > 0:52:12How are you feeling?
0:52:13 > 0:52:14Good.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32In the adult hospital, in the renal and transplant ward,
0:52:32 > 0:52:35another patient is feeling much better.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39Susan is preparing Rose for discharge today.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42So you've got the letter to go to your GP, all right?
0:52:42 > 0:52:45'We get to see the nice part.'
0:52:45 > 0:52:48We get to see these people going home and they're well.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51So these are at your anti-rejection medications.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Right, OK. OK?
0:52:53 > 0:52:56'Yes, there's the sad times, yes.'
0:52:56 > 0:52:57But...
0:52:57 > 0:53:01we get to see people with happy stories.
0:53:04 > 0:53:05And happy endings.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08Thank you for everything, thank you. Love you, gorgeous.
0:53:08 > 0:53:12And that's a great part of my job.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Hello, hi, that's me all ready, just waiting for you now.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18I only had the one bag when I came in,
0:53:18 > 0:53:19eight days ago.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22Eight days ago, yeah.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25It's amazing what a week can do.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27It's completely changed my life.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33They don't just come in and go back out again.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35You get to know these people.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37These people really matter to you.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39Where is she? Trouble.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44Right, look after yourself, OK? I will try.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47Thank you very much, Susan. Thank you for everything.
0:53:47 > 0:53:49They're not patients, they're people.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54It's just a great part.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00It's just 24 hours since Maureen was given her best friend's kidney.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03If all has gone to plan, Maureen, like Rose,
0:54:03 > 0:54:06should already feel like a new person.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Hello, hello.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10Good morning, again. How are you?
0:54:10 > 0:54:13I feel well, I feel well.
0:54:13 > 0:54:14I just feel good.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17Relieved, I'm sure? Relieved. I feel relieved.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19I'm going to scan your kidney now.
0:54:19 > 0:54:20Right, OK. If that's OK.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23So that's your kidney there. Right.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27And you see that? Yeah.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30That's the vein. Right. So swooshing the blood out.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32Oh, I see, right, OK. So the blood's just...
0:54:32 > 0:54:34Wow. Coming out all the way back up again.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36Yeah. So that's absolutely beautiful. Wow.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39So you're quite happy with that? Oh, yeah, yeah, it's perfect.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42Oh, that's perfect, yeah, yeah. Great. Yeah, take that any day.
0:54:42 > 0:54:47Just a few doors down, Del is also making a good recovery.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50But the two pals haven't seen each other since their big operations.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55I've not been this well for 20 years.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59I haven't been this well for 20 years.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04I'd forgotten how this feels.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10And she doesn't... She's got no clue.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12She's got no clue...
0:55:14 > 0:55:15..just how wonderful it is.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20She's so kind.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23She's absolutely my hero.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27Hero.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Hi, pal. Hiya, pal, are you all right?
0:55:29 > 0:55:32Don't bend over too much.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35You feeling OK? I feel better, aye. Good. I'm definitely feeling good.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37How are you feeling? Aye, I'm feeling fine. Are you? Yes.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41You look great. So do you. Aye. Oh, aye.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43Hopefully get out tomorrow. Oh, brilliant.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45That's great, isn't it? That's fantastic news.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48Absolutely. Oh, you've done really well. I'm glad. Yeah.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51You'll never know what it's like to have a friend like you.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53You won't. Oh, no, you would do the same for me.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56Oh, I would. I know you would. I would in a heartbeat.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59I know that, if I was in that position.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01If the positions had been reversed... Yes.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03..you would have done it for me. Absolutely, I know that.
0:56:03 > 0:56:05But...
0:56:05 > 0:56:07I'm going to have a moment now.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09That's fantastic. I've had my moment.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12You need to get the eyes dry. I know, my eyes are watering already.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Too late now.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18I'd expect Del to recover fairly quickly.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21I wouldn't expect her to have any consequence
0:56:21 > 0:56:23of only having one kidney.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Her blood pressure can sometimes be a bit higher
0:56:25 > 0:56:28with only one kidney in the long-term, and you have to be
0:56:28 > 0:56:30a wee bit careful, particularly about some of the tablets
0:56:30 > 0:56:33and dehydration when you're working off one kidney, rather than two.
0:56:33 > 0:56:37But on the whole, she should have absolutely no impact on her health.
0:56:42 > 0:56:46Just one week later, and Maureen's going home.
0:56:47 > 0:56:49I'm emotional about going home.
0:56:49 > 0:56:50I'm excited. But, yeah,
0:56:50 > 0:56:54really can't wait to get home to my own surroundings.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56It'll be great, yeah.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59Together, we've got a new life ahead of us.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02Her skin looks different,
0:57:02 > 0:57:05her eyes are brighter, she's more alert. She's...
0:57:06 > 0:57:09She's actually sparkling, I think.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12Thank you. It's been great to see you again.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16Right. Right. Ready to go? Off we jolly well.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20Every aspect of Maureen's life will be better for
0:57:20 > 0:57:22having Del's kidney.
0:57:22 > 0:57:24Goodbye, ward.
0:57:24 > 0:57:28It's transformative. You go from a life of darkness to sunlight.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31I can't say it as any more than living in Glasgow in winter
0:57:31 > 0:57:33compared to going to the Bahamas in the summer.
0:57:33 > 0:57:35That's what you are asking, what it's like.
0:57:35 > 0:57:37It's night and day, the difference.
0:57:37 > 0:57:39Bye. Bye, thanks a lot.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42Every aspect of her life is now different and better.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48From when it opened two years ago,
0:57:48 > 0:57:50Glasgow's superhospital has witnessed the transformation
0:57:50 > 0:57:53of lives every day,
0:57:53 > 0:57:56through the thousands of patients that pass through its doors.
0:57:58 > 0:58:02Since her treatment, Isla's headaches have gone.
0:58:02 > 0:58:05I'm feeling great.
0:58:05 > 0:58:09She's a lot more lively, more chatty than she ever was.
0:58:09 > 0:58:11She's passed the headache from her to me.
0:58:12 > 0:58:15Rose is enjoying her new lease of life.
0:58:15 > 0:58:17Before, I would probably...
0:58:17 > 0:58:19Now, I am getting up to go.
0:58:20 > 0:58:21Bye.
0:58:23 > 0:58:25Don't do that!
0:58:25 > 0:58:27And Neil's had surgery to fix his broken ankle.
0:58:27 > 0:58:31But he's not been back on the skateboard...yet.
0:58:31 > 0:58:33That would have been the other leg.