After two lungs, a kidney transplant too?
Too big a risk. That is what doctors thought about a kidney transplant for Debby van Vendeloo (42), a patient with the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis (CF). But Debby insisted on a new kidney and did not give up. Could she convince her doctor of her situation?
7 oktober 2025
'I love life, I want to do things'
Debby: 'My kidneys have already endured quite a lot. My cystic fibrosis, a double lung transplant, lymphoma. Because of all the medication, at one point I only had 15 percent kidney function left. Then the choice was: dialysis or transplant. The nephrologist argued for permanent dialysis. A transplant posed too big a risk for me. But I love life, I want to do things! That’s not possible if you have to go to the hospital three times a week. And I knew I could handle it. My pulmonologist once called me “the best girl in the class.” Always optimistic, always strong. Eventually, Dr. Van Zuilen saw that too and gave me permission for the transplant. He saved me; but the real hero of the story is Roy, my husband. I got his kidney. It works great! Every now and then we stand with our bellies against each other. “From kidney to kidney,” we say then.'
Roy van Vendeloo, Debby's husband who donated his kidney
'Okay, I'll do it, but then I want to be done with it as soon as possible'
‘Everything for Debby. That is my motto. If I have to donate a kidney for that, so be it – although I wasn't exactly jumping for joy. I’m not much of a hospital-goer. When it turned out I was the only suitable match in her circle, I flipped the switch. Okay, I’ll do it, but then I want to be done with it as soon as possible. Get that thing out! I could have done without all those psychological talks. The surgery itself was quite tough. I had to rehabilitate for a long time and was in a lot of pain at first. But now I’m as good as new. Humor and optimism get us through it.’
Marion Wessels, nurse practitioner in nephrology at UMC Utrecht
'The question was whether the surgery would improve her quality of life'
‘I have known Debby since the beginning of her medical journey. As a nurse practitioner, I am the spider in the web for her. An accessible point of contact for all medical matters, but also for the psychosocial part. She was quite a special case: there aren't many lung transplant patients who can also handle a kidney transplant. The question was therefore whether the impact of the surgery would improve her quality of life. But anyone who knows Debby knows that she has enormous zest for life and resilience. I gave her confidence by emphasizing that she had also come through previous procedures well. Afterwards, she told me that this had helped her a lot.’
“On paper, I had said: the risks are too great”
Arjan van Zuilen, internist-nephrologist at UMC Utrecht
'Was there sufficient life expectancy to undergo the surgery?'
‘This case was more complex than average. On paper, I had said: the risks of the transplant do not outweigh the benefits here. There was a high chance that Debby would need a lot of immunosuppressive medication after the transplant, which could cause new problems for her. Moreover, most transplanted lungs only last about ten years; hers were already sixteen years old at the time. Is that sufficient life expectancy to undergo such an invasive surgery? Ultimately, we chose to proceed with the transplant. There wasn't one single turning point for that; it’s a process. For instance, her pulmonologist was able to show that she responded well to the immunosuppressive medication. I also noticed that Debby could oversee the process well, even if it didn't succeed. In the end, we just did it. It’s pretty cool that it turned out so incredibly well.’
This article is from Transparant magazine (no. 96).
Curious about more stories and background?Read the full magazine here.
