Journalist's Unexpected Kidney Donation Saves Teen After Mother's Newspaper Appeal
A teenage girl from Essex who urgently required a new kidney has found a donor in a remarkable turn of events, after her mother placed an advertisement in their local newspaper. Maya Solecki, a teenager from Hadleigh, Essex, suffered severe kidney damage following an E.coli infection in January 2024.
Her mother, 48-year-old Maria Solecki, was tested but found not to be a suitable donor, as were other family members and friends from social media. Faced with her daughter's deteriorating health, Ms Solecki took the bold step of appealing to the public through the Southend Echo in March 2025.
Desperate Search and Unexpected Match
After the advertisement was published, approximately 20 individuals came forward for testing. However, time was running out as Maya's condition worsened while on dialysis. In what Ms Solecki described as a "very unexpected twist," the journalist she initially contacted, 51-year-old Emma Palmer, turned out to be a perfect match.
Ms Palmer, an executive assistant for a local charity, underwent health checks, and her identity was confirmed as the donor in November of last year. The transplant operation successfully took place in January of this year.
"You can imagine my reaction. I was incredulous," said Ms Solecki. "I could not believe that of all the people we tested, it was actually the journalist who I first made contact with that proved to be a good match and had the operation."
Emotional Reactions and Recovery
Maya, who celebrated her last dialysis session before the transplant, described Ms Palmer as "my hero." She expressed her gratitude, saying, "I keep telling her I wish there was a bigger phrase than thank you. When we got the call saying there was a donor match, it just didn't feel real. Honestly, I was on my last bit of will power."
Although Maya will always have a chronic condition, she reported feeling "amazing" and "the best I've felt since I initially got ill" following the treatment. Ms Solecki added that while there is still significant recovery ahead, her daughter's life is "certainly 100% better."
Donor's Perspective and Call to Action
Ms Palmer, who wrote about her experience in the Echo, decided to get tested after learning that no match had been found following the initial appeal. When asked why she chose to donate a kidney, she simply stated, "Why wouldn't I? I've had 50 good years and am blessed with a wonderful and healthy family. To think that a 15-year-old girl was having to go through so much and giving up hope just really got to me."
She has since met Maya and her mother twice, feeling "like we are family already." Ms Palmer recounted, "Maya gave me the longest hug I think I've ever had in my life when I went to see them, and they bought me a wonderful necklace with the date of the operation engraved on it."
Ms Solecki highlighted the critical need for organ donors, noting that the wait for a kidney can exceed three years, with around 150 children currently on the waiting list. She urged, "The call to action is for anyone who might want to donate to a child or a young person, please don't hesitate and get somebody else off dialysis and give them a chance at a normal life."
Background on E.coli Infection
E.coli is a bacteria commonly found in the bowels of most people, typically harmless in its usual location. However, it can cause infections if it enters other areas of the body, such as through cuts or scratches. The bacteria is often spread through contact with human faeces.
Symptoms of an E.coli infection vary depending on how it was contracted; for instance, if it enters the bloodstream, it may cause high temperature, shivers, and chills. While antibiotics can usually treat the infection, severe cases may require hospitalization, as seen in Maya's situation which led to kidney damage.
