‘My family says I’m a monster for not donating my kidney to my sister’

A woman has a terrible decision to make that could mean tragedy for her or her sister .

She turned to Reddit to share the ordeal. The 19-year-old has an older sister who has recently been diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure.

The doctors told the family the only way her sister will survive is if she has a kidney transplant, and the Reddit user is the only match in their famil y .

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The two sisters were never close. She explains that they’ve had a rough relationship throughout their life.

“Growing up, she was often critical and dismissive of me. We’ve had a strained relationship for years, and our interactions are generally limited to the bare minimum.”

Not only that, but the Reddit user has her own health issues. Undergoing major surgery could be detrimental.

Because of these reasons, she’s had hesitations about donating her kidney to her sister.

“When I found out I’m the only possible donor, I felt overwhelmed. I’ve tried talking to my family about my reservations, but they insist that it’s my duty to save her because we’re family.

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“My sister is understandably upset and has been telling me that if I don’t donate, it proves I don’t care about her.”

Her family has told her she would be a terrible person if she didn’t donate her kidney. The user is feeling confused, as she doesn’t want her sister to die but also doesn’t want to sacrifice her own health.

In the comments, several people who have either donated or received a kidney spoke up. One person assured her she shouldn’t do anything she’s uncomfortable with.

“Tell the transplant team you are being coerced to donate. They will then tell your family you are ineligible to donate. They will not say why because of HIPAA if you’re in the States. Most countries have similar rules.”

Another said if she has health concerns, her doctor might not even clear her to donate.

One person said there are other things to think about for even perfectly health people when it comes to donating a kidney. Some studies have shown an elevated risk if the woman ever gets pregnant after.