Larelle

On July 22, my oldest friend, Larelle, died at the age of 44. We met when my family moved in next door to hers when she and I were both 12. She had had kidney disease since she was 15, been on dialysis for most of the last 27 years, had three failed kidney transplants, two cardiac operations that she had not been expected to survive, and, finally, her liver stopped functioning. She was also the most delightful person anyone could meet. We investigated whether she would be able to go to New York last year, but she needed dialysis three times a week and the cost of dialysis for visitors to America was just too high. Then she started planning for a trip to Italy where dialysis is provided for Australian visitors, but it was not to be. She was witty, intelligent, loving, stylish, graceful, and brave beyond any measure. Although chronically ill for most of her life, she never allowed her illness to define her, and her good humour in the face of setbacks was extraordinary. She had two degrees, edited a magazine, and won gold medals for Australia at the World Transplant Games. And she could dance. Her partner of 17 years, Steve, is an outstanding bloke. The photo above shows Larelle with Steve in 1992.