kind-hearted nurse at St George’s Hospital in Tooting has donated her kidney to a stranger, as a thank you for someone doing the same for her husband – with both operations taking place on the same day at the hospital where she works.
Filipinas Neruca’s generous act came after she volunteered to donate a kidney to her husband, Cesar – but they were incompatible due to their different blood groups.
When Filipinas discovered she was instead able to donate a kidney to someone else who shared her blood group, she decided to ‘pass on the kindness’ when a match was found for Cesar.
She said: “When we were told Cesar needed a kidney transplant, we were immediately asked if we could look for a donor.
“I didn’t think I could donate because we have different blood groups, but I felt I had to come forward and be tested.
As suspected, I couldn’t donate to Cesar but I was told I could instead give my kidney to someone else.”
Cesar had been living with polycystic kidney disease and diabetes for many years, and over time his kidney function gradually deteriorated until doctors confirmed he would need a transplant.
Filipinas, a surgical nurse at St George’s since 2007, said: “I saw the way Cesar was suffering because he needed a new kidney. He became breathless, and we couldn’t even go on walks together anymore. Watching him decline was so hard that deciding to donate my kidney to someone else was made easy.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else going through what Cesar was going through.”
The couple gave and received a kidney on the same day at St George’s, hours apart.
“I donated my kidney in the morning and Cesar received his new kidney that afternoon, so we were both cared for in St George’s at the same time,” Filipinas said.
“Our family back in the Philippines were really worried about us, as were our three children, because they had their parents in the same hospital at the same time – but we were fine.
“I was discharged after three days and Cesar after a week. The difference since he’s had his transplant is shocking. We can do so much more now and enjoy our long walks.”
Filipinas and Cesar, who are both from the Philippines, have been married for 27 years and have two daughters and a son.
“We were close already but this has definitely brought us closer,” Filipinas said.
“I didn’t only give Cesar my heart – I gave him a kidney too, in a roundabout way.”
Elaine Clancy, Group Chief Nursing Officer, said: “Filipinas’ story is an inspiring example of the expert kidney care we provide at St George’s, and highlights the need for our new specialist renal unit.
“More patients like Filipinas and Cesar will benefit from our state-of-the-art facility, which will be one of the largest renal services in the UK and will treat the most seriously ill patients across South West London, Surrey and beyond.”
Filipinas’ incredible act of kindness was made possible through the NHS Kidney Sharing Scheme which is run by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).
The scheme helps people receive a kidney transplant when a willing donor like Filipinas isn’t a direct match for them.
Normally, a living donor like Filipinas gives a kidney to someone they know, but when they are not compatible the scheme matches pairs in the same situation with others across the UK.
Figures released by NHSBT show there is a record high of more than 8,200 people waiting for an organ transplant, with 6,500 of those people waiting for a kidney.
One in every three kidney transplants in the UK is from a living donor, but many people are unaware that it could be an option for them.
Filipinas said: “There’s a stranger out there who has given Cesar a new lease of life and, in turn, I have also given a different stranger a new lease of life.
“I would urge more people to sign up to the scheme – it’s a great way of passing the kindness on.”
Dr Abbas Ghazanfar, Care Group Lead for Renal and Transplant Surgery and the surgeon who treated Filipinas, said: “At St. George’s, we regularly participate in the scheme to help our patients receive a compatible kidney through a living kidney transplant.
“Filipinas is an incredible and kind person. She donated her kidney to a stranger in exchange for getting a kidney back for her husband. It was a meticulous process involving three centres, resulting in three successful kidney transplants and saving three lives”.
In the UK, 964 adult living-donor kidney transplants took place in the year 2024-2025 with 125 through UKLKSS.
Lisa Burnapp, Associate Medical Director for Living Donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “It’s wonderful to hear that Cesar has received a living donor kidney transplant from his wife Filipinas, through the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme (UKLKSS).
“The UKLKSS is the largest and most successful scheme of its kind, with more than 2,300 people transplanted to date. This is thanks to couples like Filpinas and Cesar who are willing to give and receive a kidney to create transplant opportunities for themselves and others, together with more than 1,100 non-directed altruistic donors – people who are willing to donate anonymously to anyone waiting for a kidney- who initiate chains of up to three transplants.
“Anyone can volunteer to be considered as a living donor – family member, friend or complete stranger. It may not be for everyone, but one thing everyone can do to help all of those waiting for a transplant is to confirm their donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. It takes just two minutes to do and can save up to nine lives.”
