Student who became teacher's kidney donor both celebrate ten years of dance classes in Northamptonshire

Ballroom and Latin teacher, Tracey Aspin, 60, principal of Tracey's Dancezone had suffered from Lupus since she was a young girl, and has since experienced kidney failure during her three pregnancies.

Back January 2010, Tracey of Milton Keynes found herself on dialysis three times a week before undergoing a hernia operation as well as discovering that she had fluid on both lungs and unsuccessful attempts to obtain a kidney from her three sons.

After a prolonged period of searching for a match - her former student, Sharon Murray who now lives and helps Tracey teach classes in Towcester - decided to investigate whether she could help save her best pal's life.

On Valentine’s Day in 2011, both patients - who originally met at Tracey's dance lessons in Luton 20 years ago - were wheeled into the operating theatre and within hours Tracey had received Sharon's kidney.

Tracey said: "We went away in the summer to a national congress in Southport, while I was there, I was really poorly. She came with me to Liverpool to have my dialysis, she saw what I went through and when we got home she said I will see if I can give you a kidney.

"Sharon would have done it for any one of her friends. It has made us quite close and I'm forever grateful for it."

Tracey’s Dancezone is this month celebrating 10 years of dance classes in Towcester, with lessons taking place on a Tuesday evening with both Tracey and Sharon hosting the sessions.

Sharon said: "I really donated my kidney because I could. I read up on it and listened to all the advice of the doctors, surgeons, transplant team and I just wanted to do it as it sounded so straight forward, and it was.

"The only thing that went through my mind was excitement at the thought of it all working and being successful.....oh and a few weeks off work! I wasn’t scared at all.

"We don’t really talk about it much between each other, we are still friends and we know we will always be friends but nothing much has changed. I never wanted Tracey to feel indebted to me or forever grateful. We just did it and now we can carry on being friends, and dancing together...that’s the best bit."