'The fact someone would give that, put themselves in danger, to give life to my son, just blows me away.'

The four-year-old twin suffered kidney failure and became so poorly, he faced an uncertain future.

But today his wish has come true and Finlay is now healthy enough to enjoy family time and eat a Christmas dinner for the very first time after he received a new kidney from a total stranger.

Most organ donors are either family members or people who have died but unusually, little Finlay's treasured present comes from an altruistic living donor.

All his family know is that a selfless person in Scotland risked his own health to donate an organ purely to save a stranger's life.

Resting her hand over her precious son's tummy which holds the lifesaving organ they have affectionately named ‘haggis’, mum Danika Fitzpatrick, 25, says: “The fact someone would give that, put themselves in danger, to give life to my son, just blows me away.

“I am very thankful,” Danika pauses fighting back tears.

"You have to remember in further life, that person could suffer with kidney failure and he doesn't have that extra kidney to fall back on.

“I don’t know whether you wake up one day and just say 'I don’t need it, take it’ but words can't describe how thankful we are.

“This is the best Christmas present ever. When you think children usually ask for toys and a big turkey – we’ve got life. That's the difference and it is very overwhelming."

Before the transplant, Finlay did not eat because renal failure often means taste is affected. He also suffered from reflux which meant each time he ate, he was frightened he would be sick.

But now he is enjoying his food and looking forward to tucking into some Christmas turkey.

“It's just incredible,” says Danika.

“To be sat around the Christmas table seeing both boys eat I think will make everyone go wobbly.

It will be an emotional day for everyone.”

For Danika, it’s the little things she treasures because since she gave birth to identical twins.

Finlay James and Felix Robert, she faced agonising uncertainty.

At 29 weeks, Danika began having early contractions and was taken into hospital where was given steroid injections to strengthen the babies’ vital organs.

The following week, on April 25, 2010 Danika went to bed and suffered a lifethreatening haemorrhage in her sleep but she didn’t realise until she got up to go to the bathroom.

“I was in hospital in Poole at 2.30am. Finlay was born at 2.46am and his brother was born a minute later. I was put under general anesthetic so I didn't really know what was going on.

“Because Finlay was born first, when I haemorrhaged his whole body was starved of oxygen. There were so many doctors around trying to save his life.

“I was overwhelmed but scared at the same time, but the fact they were here made everything seem better.

“The truth of it really is all three of us could have died.”

Little Finlay, who weighed just 2lb 7oz, was rushed by ambulance to the neonatal unit at Southampton’s Princess Anne Hospital followed by Danika then Felix, who was more stable weighing 3lb 3oz.

Danika was told the news Felix had a hole in his lung which has now led to asthma but Finlay suffered a brain haemorrhage, chronic lung disease and kidney damage.

She explained: “They feared he would have cerebral palsy or may never walk but he defied the odds.”

A five month stay in hospital followed, and against the odds Finlay pulled through.

However following regular hospital check ups, Danika was told more devastating news. Finlay, who was having growth hormone injections, had kidney failure and he faced an uncertain future.

Desperate to save the youngster, the family went for blood tests immediately.

Though Danika and Finlay's father were not a compatible blood group, Danika’s mum Lesley Anne was a match.

Danika, who lives with her mum in New Milton, explained: “Mum has been my absolute rock from the beginning. There was no questions at all, she was desperate to give him her kidney but they found there were too many vessels going to it so it was too dangerous. She was absolutely distraught.”

In September Finlay, who goes to Hordle Primary School, joined the waiting list for a deceased donor.

If a donor was not found, he would have had to go on dialysis in hospital to save his life.

However Danika could not believe it when just two months later, she received the phone call that would change everything.

“You have to remember most kiddies wait years. We were waiting for a deceased donor but we had a call to say a live one was available.

It was just absolutely amazing.”

On November 26, Finlay was rushed to Evelina London Children's Hospital to wait for ‘haggis’ to arrive from Glasgow, Scotland.

The five hour operation was a success and after two weeks the family returned home.

There is now a risk of the body rejecting the transplanted organ – Danika's biggest fear. Finlay has to therefore go to the children’s ward at Southampton General Hospital every other day monitored by consultant paediatric nephrologist Dr Arvind Nagra.

“The medical staff at Evelina and here have just been amazing, they have kept me strong through all this and it is lovely they bring Christmas to the children’s ward because some of the children here won’t be lucky enough to go home.”

Danika isn't sure whether she will be spending Christmas in hospital or at home but is overjoyed to see her son thriving and wants to tell her story to encourage others to sign up to the organ donor register.

Talking from his hospital bed where Finlay is awaiting the results of blood tests, Danika, says: “We are lucky compared to other parents because we didn’t have to go on dialysis. To all families going through this, it’s a never give up situation.

“From a family who has been through it, joining the organ donor register is the biggest gift you can give, ever. I hope in future we will be able to meet or at least do something for Finlay’s donor. But what do you give them, what do you even say? A card just doesn't cut it.”

FACTFILE

HAMPSHIRE based charity, the British Kidney Patient Association (BKPA), is the national organisation working to improve the care and quality of life for everyone affected by kidney disease in the UK.

For nearly 40 years the grant-giving kidney patient charity based in Alton has provided a range of support services for adults and children affected by kidney disease including: 

• Providing grants to help patients in times of financial hardship
• Campaigning to inform policy and practice to improve the lives and choices of kidney patients
• Funding kidney units n Providing information, advice, counselling and support services
• Commissioning research to improve health and care services

Currently the charity supports more than 40 patients a week and currently funding more than 60 staff posts as well as various projects across the health and social care centre.

To learn more about BKPA go tobritishkidney-pa.co.uk or Tweet @The_BKPA In the run up to Christmas, the BKPA is supporting NHS Blood and Transplant's Christmas Wish List campaign.

To find out more about the campaign join the NHS Organ Donor Register go to organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23 or text SAVE to 62323.