Manitoba man to donate kidney to sister on Thursday

A 32-year-old Manitoba woman will receive a late Christmas gift from her brother this year but it's a big one.

Mike Simeons will undergo surgery on Thursday to give his sister Cheryl Simeons a kidney.

"I feel incredibly grateful to have family members who are willing to donate an organ so selflessly," Cheryl said in a news release. "It is an indescribable feeling to be given the chance to get your life back and I am overwhelmed with joy to be able to live life to the fullest once again."

Cheryl has battled cystinosis, a chronic, genetic kidney disease since birth.

By age 11, she needed a kidney transplant, and her father stepped up and gave her one of his.

But two years ago, Cheryl's kidneys started to fail again.

She's been on dialysis for the last six months, and on Thursday, she'll get a new kidney from Mike.

Cheryl says once she recovers, she plans to return to work full-time, continue rock climbing and train for a half marathon.

According to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, kidney disease is on the rise in Manitoba, while donations remain stagnant.

The wait for a kidney is typically 5.5 to seven years in Manitoba either for a living or deceased donor.

In 2014, only seven kidneys from deceased donors became available.