A 15-year-old boy has finally been granted a kidney transplant from his mother that he has waited for since he was five weeks old.
Stephen Gallacher has suffered a lifetime of kidney disease since he was diagnosed with posterior urethral valves (PUV) at birth.
The condition, which causes a blockage between the bladder and urethra, was treated.
But a pressure build-up in the kidneys caused severe damage, leaving him with a lack of energy and poor appetite.
After many operations and infections, Stephen was put on a waiting list for a kidney transplant in 2015.
He became the 100th person in Scotland to receive a kidney transplant from a living donor - his mother, Cheryl Gallacher, 44 - at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children.
Stephen Gallacher has suffered a lifetime of illness with kidney disease. He has finally been granted a kidney transplant from his mother that he has waited for since he was five weeks old. Pictured, ahead of the transplant at Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow
After many operations and infections, Stephen was put on a waiting list for a kidney transplant in 2015. Tests were carried out on both his mother, Cheryl, 44, and father Tommy, 53, to determine who would make the best donor. Pictured, before the procedure
Tests ultimately confirmed Stephen's mother as being the most suitable match for what is known as the living related donor (LRD) procedure
Stephen, from Musselburgh in East Lothian, said ahead of the procedure on Wednesday: 'I'm grateful for this. I've been waiting since I was five weeks old.
'It's been big. Like at school, at fun run, I'm most of the time at the back of the line. I can't do contact (sports) like rugby and football.'
Stephen had not needed dialysis for his kidney disease, but has been on medication ever since the diagnosis.
Since 2015, surgeons had been preparing to give Stephen a kidney transplant.
Tests were carried out on both his mother and father Tommy, 53, to determine who would make the best donor for what is known as the living related donor (LRD) procedure.
Initially it was thought that Mr Gallacher would be the donor, but tests ultimately confirmed Stephen's mother as being the most suitable match.
Speaking shortly before he went into surgery, Stephen admitted to feeling anxious ahead of the operation but was looking forward to the positive benefits it is going to bring him.
He said: 'Mum will be fine. Dad will have to look after us. I'm going to feel much healthier, I'm going to run faster, I'll be bigger.
Stephen Gallacher was diagnosed with posterior urethral valves (PUV) at birth. The condition, which causes a blockage between the bladder and urethra, was treated. But a pressure build-up in the kidneys caused severe damage, leaving him with a lack of energy and poor appetite
Mrs Walker has been on a health kick for three years in preparation for donating the kidney, which she said she didn't need to think twice about doing for her son
Mrs Walker, pictured with Stephen the day before the procedure on Wednesday, said her son was a 'wee warrior'
The kidneys have several important functions in the body including filtering waste out of the bloodstream and eliminating excess water or toxins in the urine.
People need a kidney transplant if they have severe kidney disease or if the organ is failing.
To determine if someone is a match to donate a kidney, they have to have matching blood types with the receiver.
If this isn't possible, doctors can lower the antibody levels in both people to see if the organ can still be a match.
Tissue typing tests (HLA) are taken to also determine if the body will reject or accept the intended donor organ.
Parents and siblings are 50 per cent likely to match with someone who needs a donation.
The numbers drop for people outside of the family.
But the most common way that people receive a kidney donation is from someone who has died.
And many people struggle to find a match that is suitable for them.
People can spend years on the transplant list and on dialysis while waiting for a donor match.
Like most surgical procedures, a kidney transplant can cause short-term risks such as blood clots and infection.
Long-term risks can be weight gain, high blood pressure and an increased risk of cancer.
'I'll basically be able to do stuff I can't do, like contact sports.
'I'll be able to eat stuff I haven't eaten before like cucumbers and tomatoes.'
People with kidney problems need to follow a careful diet which involves avoiding high potassium foods
