Woman’s Dog Sniffs Out A Stranger At The Beach Who Ends Up Saving Her Life

Lucy Humphrey and Cenydd Owen were determined to make the most of a relaxing day at the beach during the summer of 2021. That was because Lucy’s health was in a rather precarious position at the time, leaving the couple fearful of the future. Yet as they got settled, she noticed that her pet Doberman was starting to act a little strangely around their campsite. Little did she know that the dog’s behavior would lead to a once-in-a-lifetime moment that would ultimately save her life.

Meeting Lucy’s clan

Lucy and Cenydd had built a nice life together in the cozy town of Caerphilly in Wales, along with their pair of Dobermans called Indie and Dave. They were a tight-knit family unit, but prior to that trip to the beach Lucy had been dealing with medical issues for a little over two decades. Those problems had taken a real toll on her body during this period, and to cap it all off, she’d received a truly terrifying prognosis from her physicians.

Dealing with lupus

Lucy’s struggles with her health began back in 2000. At that point, Lucy discovered that she was suffering from lupus. Now in case you didn’t know, this disease affects the immune system and can lead to fatigue, irritated skin, and joint problems. The issues don’t end there, either. In really bad cases, vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver can become inflamed, too, putting your life at risk. Clearly, this was heartbreaking news for Lucy and her family.

Kidney failure

All this brings us to 2017 when, nearly 20 years after her initial lupus diagnosis, Lucy found out that she’d entered the final stages of renal failure: in other words, her kidneys were ceasing to function. She was subsequently put on dialysis, but that wasn’t a permanent solution to the problem. Lucy needed a transplant, and as she discovered in 2019 it couldn’t come soon enough. According to her doctors, there was a strong chance that she only had five years left if she didn’t go under the knife.

The waiting game

At this point Lucy was now playing a precarious waiting game, hoping that a donor could be found. And as a result of the dialysis, vacations were pretty much off the table as well. At most, Lucy could spend maybe two days away before going back to her treatment. So taking her mind off the situation was far from easy, especially after she and Cenydd had made some future plans.

Vacation plans

Yes, prior to Lucy’s kidney failure, she and Cenydd had decided to buy an RV so they could take to the road with Dave and Indie. Despite that disappointment, though, the pair didn’t give up hope on their vacation plans. While they had to call off a trip to Aberystwyth, Wales, in June 2021 due to Lucy’s ailing health, the Caerphilly residents eyed up an alternative. It was a beach located in Barry, just over ten miles from their home.

Cold Knap Beach

On the day, Cenydd and Lucy loaded up the dogs and made their way down to the pebbled shores of Cold Knap Beach. After parking up, they put together a comfortable campsite ahead of preparing some snacks on their barbecue. For now at least, Lucy had a chance to forget about her troubles and enjoy some time with her loved ones. But as she started to relax, Indie’s behavior on the beach took a rather weird turn. And it was impossible to ignore.

“Kept going over to this woman”

Looking back, Lucy went into more detail while chatting with BBC News in April 2023. She recalled, “Indie kept going over to this woman about 100 yards away. She kept going back and forward to her and we kept calling her back, because obviously a big Doberman can be a little bit intimidating. We thought she had food or something and Cenydd kept calling her back. In the end we went over to apologize to her.”

Say hello to Katie James

The woman in question was Katie James, a Barry local. She had been in the middle of doing some crocheting when Indie approached her on the beach that day in June 2021. How had she responded? Well, despite the dog’s large size, Katie had no problem with the frequent visits. It made for a pretty nice distraction! From there, she struck up a conversation with Cenydd and Lucy after they offered their apologies, leading to a jaw-dropping moment that changed everything.

A huge surprise

“[Katie] was actually having quite a bad time herself, so I invited her to our barbecue,” Lucy continued. “She came over, bought some drinks with her, and offered me some. Cenydd explained that I couldn’t drink as I was on dialysis. She was like, ‘Oh what’s that for?’ and he said, ‘She’s waiting for a kidney transplant.’” As soon as she heard that, Katie’s eyes lit up. The Barry resident replied, “Oh I’ve just gone on the kidney donation register!”

Life can be stranger than fiction

This kind of crazy concidence is the kind of situation you’d only expect to see in a movie or TV show, and even then it might seem too contrived! Katie explained her reasons for becoming a donor in a Facebook post in September 2022. She also laid out the timing of it all, revealing how it had lined up with her chance meeting with Lucy and Cenydd. Katie wrote, “I’ve wanted to donate a kidney since I first heard it was a ‘thing’ over 20 years ago.”

“A pooled donation”

“I applied [to become a donor] a few years ago and was put in for a pooled donation to a stranger, which I was more than happy about,” Katie noted. “Then COVID ruined everyone’s lives and the process almost came to a halt. During this time, I was camping one weekend and got chatting to a fella who told me that he and his partner could only camp for one night at a time because his partner was on dialysis.”

“Anyone who wants it”

So how did Lucy and Cenydd respond to Katie’s revelation? Well, after picking his jaw up from the pebbled floor, the latter queried, “Who are you going to donate your kidney to?” Without missing a beat, the Barry resident then fired back, “Anyone who wants it.” The couple’s faces must’ve been a picture: had their curious dog just identified a savior? Unsurprisingly, Lucy didn’t want to squander this opportunity, but she refused to get too excited in the initial stages.

Understandable pessimism

Speaking to the WalesOnline website in April 2023, Lucy said, “We swapped telephone numbers. And to be honest I didn’t think anything else would come of it.” Her pessimism was more than understandable at that point. You see, since she’d gone into kidney failure, both Cenydd and a pal of his had come forward to say that they’d be happy to donate theirs. Unfortunately, though, they weren’t a match. So what were the chances that Katie was? They seemed slim.

The average wait

The standard wait time to receive a kidney transplant in the U.K. does vary, but broadly speaking, according to the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust website, folks with an A or AB blood type usually have to sit tight for two years. As for those in the B or O group, they’re looking at three years. But of course, people can get it sooner if the chips fall into place. And the opposite is true as well, which is the position in which Lucy found herself.

Impact of the pandemic

Plus, there’s another big factor to consider here, too: the pandemic. As Katie had alluded to in her Facebook post, COVID-19 threatened to derail the transplant process altogether in the United Kingdom in 2020. To give you a better idea of that, journal Clinical Medicine published a study on the matter that July. Using the data available, the authors calculated that 1,670 transplants might’ve been “lost” over a half-year spell starting in March. That obviously didn’t help Lucy’s case, either.

An anxious wait

Keeping all that in mind, while Lucy had her doubts about the probability of Katie being a match, she didn’t completely dismiss it. The pair went on to get in touch with a “donor coordinator” just 24 hours after their chance meeting on the beach, ahead of undergoing numerous exams. We’re talking blood tests, MRIs, X-rays, and a whole heap more! The tension must’ve been unbearable as they waited for the results. Would Lucy’s luck finally change for the better?

“One in 22 million chance”

Continuing her conversation with BBC News, Lucy said, “[Katie] had all the tests and it turned out she was a perfect match. A surgeon told us it’s a one in 22 million chance to find the perfect match, and that’s what I needed as I’ve got lupus.” Those are some insane odds. Thank goodness she and Cenydd went to Barry when they did! But Lucy’s joy was tempered a touch when it came to booking the transplant.

Date of destiny

Yep, due to the pandemic, the surgery was consistently pushed back for well over 12 months. And because time was of the essence for Lucy, those delays can’t have been anything other than agonizing. But fortunately, a final date was penciled in on October 3, 2022: there was now light at the end of the tunnel. Prior to that, Katie had made sure to remain in touch with her new pals via a WhatsApp group, which was aptly named “The Kidney Gang.” And Cenydd was appreciative of her efforts.

Katie’s excitement

“All her visits to the hospital, [Katie] was updating us and sending recorded messages and pictures,” Cenydd informed BBC News. “I’ve still got all the recordings and how excited she was that she was doing something good.” Katie reiterated that excitement in her Facebook post, which was made just weeks ahead of the transplant. In addition to that, she also outlined why she was so desperate to help Lucy out, bringing up the challenges she’d constantly faced since her kidneys had failed.

“My idea of hell”

Katie penned, “I’m excited that I can give Lucy the camping life I’ve enjoyed these past few years. And she’s excited to be able to pee like a normal person. Though that novelty will wear off soon, I’m sure! Whilst not many people have been supportive of my choice, they are supportive of my decision. I have two healthy kidneys and I only really need one. Lucy spends three days a week for four hours a day hooked up to dialysis. That sounds like my idea of Hell.”

The surgery

“I’m so excited and happy that there’s something I can do to give [Lucy] a ‘normal’ life,” Katie then added. So let’s jump forward to that pivotal day in the fall of 2022. The transplant was set to take place at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. After months of preparation, Lucy and Katie entered the medical facility together, knowing that their lives would forever be changed just hours later. Thankfully, the procedure went off without a hitch.

A worrying complication

The aftermath was a little more concerning, though. Following the transplant, Lucy’s blood pressure nose-dived because her new kidney hadn’t immediately “woken up.” Due to that, she had to stay at the hospital for the next month, so the doctors could keep a close eye on her progress. Katie made an effort to hang out with Cenydd’s partner whenever possible ahead of her own discharge as well, which probably eased the anxiety! But would Lucy’s condition show signs of improvement?

“So grateful”

You bet! Off the back of that worrying spell, Lucy was able to make a full recovery. And she couldn’t be more thankful for everything that Katie had done for her. As she told WalesOnline, “I’m so grateful for her. I told my partner in 2019 if I didn’t find a transplant within five years it was possible something would happen and I would die. I want this to be a message to other people not to give up hope.”

Important message

Katie had her own message to share after the transplant, too. She informed WalesOnline, “If [kidney donation] is something you’ve ever considered or you’re considering now because you’ve heard this story, then look into it. It’s not like giving blood; I’d say to anybody to go and donate blood, but with a kidney it’s such a major operation and a big decision. But you can pull out at any point. You’re never made to feel guilty or pressured and you have every opportunity to change your mind.”

How did Lucy’s life change?

Yet by going ahead with it, Katie’s selflessness has opened the door for Lucy to enjoy things that many of us take for granted. Yes, she can now go on as many road trips as she desires in the RV, while also joining her Dobermans for their daily walks. The thought of doing any of that seemed impossible not so long ago, but the Caerphilly resident is making up for lost time today. And Katie couldn’t be happier about it.

“The best thing I’ve ever done”

“I feel really lucky that I got to know Lucy, I know that it’s worked and I know that she’s out there living her life,” Katie said to BBC News. “To me, there’s been no negative to it whatsoever. I feel really proud of myself. I get embarrassed sometimes though as every time I’m out with my nan, she’ll tell a stranger, ‘Oh my granddaughter donated a kidney.’ It’s the best thing I’ve ever done and I feel so proud of myself and my family are proud of me.”

Firm friends

Meanwhile, “The Kidney Gang” Whatsapp group has remained pretty active since the transplant. Katie’s stayed in firm contact with both Lucy and Cenydd, meeting up for dinners as well as mapping out a future RV vacation. Sounds fun! Given everything that’s happened, they’re basically inseparable. But nearly two years on from their fateful meeting on Cold Knap Beach, there’s still one thing that Lucy can’t get over. Yep, she continues to circle back to Indie’s strange behavior on the day.

“Chose her”

“It was the fact that Indie almost sussed [Katie] out and chose her,” Lucy said to BBC News. “I really needed this transplant, I’d been on the waiting list for several years. It’s completely changed my life already.” How many dogs can say they’ve done something like that for their owner? It’s probably a pretty short list! As for Cenydd, he had some final words about Katie and summed up just how remarkable this whole story really is.

“Never give in”

Cenydd concluded, “[Katie is a] wonderful, selfless person. [But] she doesn’t like my jokes, and said if I don’t stop telling her jokes, she wants her kidney back! We ended up going to Barry by total chance, meeting Katie by total chance, and Lucy’s ended up with a kidney. We want to show that there’s always hope for people. Never give in, because you never know, we weren’t even going to go to the beach that day. There… [are] a lot of good people out there.”