Lisa Steenberg (33) from Welkom collapsed in tears when she realised it was her turn to suffer kidney disease.
"I still cry, but if I could do it again, I would," she says. "I'll always put my child's needs before my own."
Her 15-year-old daughter, Larochelle, had waited for a kidney transplant nearly two years after she was first diagnosed with severe kidney failure at age 13. At the time she had just 5% kidney function.
In October 2017 Lisa decided to risk her own life to save her child's and donated one of her own kidneys to Larochelle. Lisa had to shed 60kg before surgery.
Now Lisa is unwell and Larochelle needs to take care of her mother
"I started feeling sick a few months ago. During blood tests my blood pressure was very high. I immediately knew something was wrong," Lisa says.
Her kidney doesn’t function optimally and she may develop kidney failure.
She says further tests are needed to establish exactly what's wrong.
"Larochelle is doing very well. She's a healthy teenager and is trying to help and support me where she can."
But there's a limit to what Larochelle can do for her mother.
"We don't have medical aid and with the closest state hospital in Bloemfontein all my blood tests must be done at a private hospital. Also, I'm on a strict diet and the foods I need are ridiculously expensive."
Lisa is due to have more tests on May 29 to determine the condition of her kidney.
Image credit: Papi Morake/YOU