A DEESIDE woman who had a life-saving transplant is looking to reach Christmas number one as a member of a choir.

Faye Connolly, 28, is part of the Gifted Organs choir made up of people from across the UK who have undergone transplants.

After joining the Gifted Organs choir Faye has seen her life turn around and she has helped to record a single called ‘Tomorrow’.

‘Tomorrow’ has been recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth and they have also filmed a music video to be released alongside the song. It will be available to buy on December 10.

Aged 16, Faye from Shotton received a life-saving organ after having dialysis 13 times to treat the chronic kidney disease she was born with.

Faye was donated the kidney from the body of a 16-year-old boy who had died in a car accident.

She added: “I’ve tried writing to the family of the boy, but have had no response, and that is more than understandable with me living off the kidney of someone they’ve lost.

“But I am eternally grateful as it is single handedly keeping me alive.’’

Since the the transplant Faye has battled cancer twice, after a complication occurred with her anti-rejection following a sexually transmitted infection.

Immunosuppressants (anti-rejection) are drugs that lower the body’s ability to reject a transplanted organ.

In transplantation the new organ will be recognised as foreign by the immune system and so it will react against it.

But the drugs leave people at severe risk of complications to sexually transmitted and other inflections.

Faye has undergone treatment for Stage 1 Vulvar Cancer but she has been told the cancer will more than likely return several times during her life.

Faye said: “I was feeling really isolated and alone, especially after the death of my mum four years ago.

“Having to constantly explain to people the nature of my illness is really hard, so joining Gifted Organs and being with people like me has just been brilliant. It’s massively reduced my anxiety as I’m in my element and it’s given me a whole new lease of life.

“I’ve been through so much because of a sexually transmitted disease, and I beg for young girls to keep themselves safe.’’