A WOMAN has hailed her dad as her hero after he donated one of his kidneys in order to save her life.

In 2017, Julie O’Hare was told by doctors that both her kidneys were failing and that not only would she need a transplant, but that she must lose more than eight stone in weight before she would be considered for one.

Faced with an unimaginable crisis, Julie’s dad Michael told the rest of the family, all of whom live in Ballingry, that he would be getting tested to see if he was a match which, remarkably, he was.

He then insisted that he would be stepping up to save his daughter’s life.

Julie told the Times she was overwhelmed that anyone would want to go endure a life-changing operation to save her life.

The 31-year-old said: “I was overwhelmed. I did not want anyone in my family to go through that. My mum and brother also wanted to get tested but my dad said he wanted to be first. He stepped forward straight away when he was told he was a match.”

After three gruelling years, Julie became fit enough to undergo the major operation which saw her dad’s donated kidney inserted into her groin area, meaning neither of her failing kidneys had to be removed.

Far from being scared despite facing a huge life-altering event, Julie said she felt a mix of emotions before the procedure.

She said: “I was really excited, but part of me also felt really guilty and selfish because someone felt they needed to save my life.

“I thought I would have been scared, but then seeing my dad being wheeled away into theatre was when it properly hit me and I got emotional.”

Being reunited with her dad post-operation was a moment she struggles to put into words.

Julie continued: “It was a surreal moment reuniting with him. I got to wave to him then they brought him down to me.

“It is so hard to explain the feeling – the only way I can describe it is as magical. He was so proud and happy that I was OK.

“He hates doing anything medical related, so I know how big a deal this was for him. I will never be able to repay him.”

Now recovering at home, Julie also paid tribute to the “glue that held everything together”.

She said: “My mum, Ellen, was under huge pressure during it all. We weren’t allowed visitors due to Covid so she could not come through to the hospital in Glasgow to see us, but she never complained once. She was the glue that held everything together during it.

“She is just another wee hero.”