“It’s surreal – even after I’d had the baby and was holding him in my arms for the first time, I was in shock,” she says. “Maddox is the baby we never thought would be, so he’s much celebrated. I feel so blessed to have a child.”

Denise, 39, was diagnosed with renal failure and a disorder called branchio-oto-renal syndrome, which can also affect sinuses and hearing, when she was 11. She had a transplant at 14.

“I’d always been a healthy child, so it was a shock for the family when I became ill,” she says. “We then found out it’s a hereditary condition and was something I’d always been at risk of without knowing it.”

Denise will take part in the Canberra Big Kidney Walk on September 21, to help raise awareness of kidney health.

“The walk is great because it gets people thinking about kidney health and organ donation, but it needs to be on people’s minds all year round,” she says.

“I understand it’s a difficult thing, and I honestly don’t know how I’d feel about it if we hadn’t gone through this, but so many people are waiting for transplants that I think it’s important to talk to your family about your wishes.”

Denise was on peritoneal dialysis for three years, and suffered two serious bouts of peritonitis before getting the call to say a kidney was available.

The compatibility of the organ was unusually high at 98.9 per cent, and Denise says this is most likely the reason her transplant was so successful.

“It was such an amazing, nervous time,” she says. “I had mixed feelings, feeling so lucky but at the same time acknowledging that someone had died in order for me to be able to receive this new lease on life.”

Denise says that after the surgery, she went from feeling exhausted, puffed and on a strict diet to being a normal teenager with a healthy life.

“I could even have sleepovers,” she says. “As I got older I travelled around India, Europe, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, and I’ve also been able to have a successful career with no restrictions on my life.”

Denise says she focused on career and travel, but last year she met her partner Matthew Brooks and everything changed.

“I grew up with the understanding that I wouldn’t be able to have kids,” she says. “The peritonitis had scarred my fallopian tubes, and pregnancy would also put a lot of pressure on the kidney and my medication could damage the baby.

“Matthew and I talked about it and I gave him the option to proceed in the relationship or not, but he was fine with it – just upset for me.

“When we found out about the pregnancy he was thrilled. It was a huge shock but I saw my renal specialist who said I’m his healthiest patient, and if others can do it, he was confident I would have no issues.

“I was carefully monitored throughout the pregnancy but everything went smoothly, and Maddox was born safely via caesarean weighing 2.4kg.”

Denise says that since having Maddox, she’s been doing a lot of reflecting on the person who donated their kidney.

“It’s been 25 years now since I got this second chance and an opportunity for a healthy life,” she says. “My way to show my appreciation is to live life to the fullest.”

Denise says Maddox has a mild form of the condition, but has perfect kidney function and has had the all-clear for his hearing, which has brought a huge sense of relief for the family.

“He’s such a good baby, a happy, healthy boy, and I’m so very lucky,” she says.

The Canberra Big Red Kidney Walk starts near the National Carillon. 11am, September 21. Register online at kidneyhealthaustralia.com.au