A mother was so touched by the plight of a gravely ill stranger she met at a party she donated her kidney to her.
Veronica Buttigieg made the generous gesture after bumping into Manoly Viravong, who was in desperate need of a transplant.
The women met at a mutual friend's 40th wedding anniversary in Leigh-on-Sea, in Essex, where they both live.
Mrs Viravong, 45, had been waiting for an organ for five years and had even seen her own brother back out of donating her a kidney.
Mrs Buttigieg, 53, was so touched by her plight she immediately offered to donate her own. Tests proved she was a match and the procedure was performed at the Royal London Hospital in July.
The mother-of-two told The Daily Telegraph: “I could tell she felt hopeless. Suddenly I just blurted out would you like one of mine?”
“The strange thing is, I meant it. It was like fate. I knew from that moment this is what I had to do.”
Mrs Virayong told the Daily Mail: “It has been wonderful. I have got my life back. For two years I had endured eight hours dialysis a night and my kidneys were deteriorating. My life expectancy was very short – it would have killed me ultimately.
“I had been feeling very low because my brother had changed his mind about giving me his kidney, yet here was a virtual stranger offering to do an amazing, wonderful, selfless thing for me.
“I can’t really thank her enough. We are very close now, like sisters. I’m really grateful to her and I count my blessings every day.”
Mrs Buttigieg added: “I am a Christian and I know God was telling me to do this – and I also knew I’d be all right. I didn’t have a second thought once.”
To be a donor, go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 1232323 or text SAVE to 84118.