A SAILOR says she is busy making plans for the future after a successful second kidney transplant.

Jacqui Dowding’s intends to set sail from Brighton Marina as soon as she has recovered.

The 58-year-old, who lives on her boat at Brighton Marina, was discharged from hospital yesterday a week after the operation.

She said: “The doctors told me it was a textbook transplant and my kidney is now functioning normally.

“I am so grateful. I have a rare blood and tissue type so I was not holding out any hope for a donor to be found.

“I was focusing more on live donation because I thought that was my only option.”

However Ms Dowding got the call in the early hours of June 29 and had to rush up to guy’s Hospital where the operation took place later that afternoon.

She said: “I am doing really well and the doctors and staff have been amazing.”

Her thoughts are also with her 60-year-old donor.

She said: “I don’t know anything about them but that person died died and that has given me a life.

“How I feel about that is very difficult to put in words but I will be writing a letter to their family in the future.”

Ms Dowding only had 11 per cent kidney function while on the donor waiting list.

She had a kidney transplant 29 years ago but it started failing about five years ago.

Ms Dowding, who acts as a boat safety advisor for the RNLI and is a patron of the charity Give a Kidney.

A sailor and a professional skipper, she recently took a boat trip before her operation to the south of France and back to get the message across about live organ donation.

She told The Argus this week: “I have been twice blessed with a kidney donation and I want to help others.

“I have lots of the plans for the future and now I can look forward.

“I am just so grateful.”

Future plans for Ms Dowding includes taking the doctors who did the transplant out for a sailing trip and her brother, a chef, has also promised to cook them a meal.

Ms Dowding also intends to travel to Mexican coast to help with efforts to protect dolphins.