He gave me his heart, I gave him a kidney'
The Australian Women's Weekly|September 2022
For Anne Schuller and her husband, Kym, a second chance at love also became a second chance at life.
Anne Schuller
He gave me his heart, I gave him a kidney'

The bond between my husband, Kym Schuller, and I is very precious, given that it is a second marriage for each of us. We met working in the property industry, on the Sunshine Coast, where we always admired each other's achievements and shared a passion for our profession. We were friends first. Kym had a career as an architectural designer and eventually, he started working at the same company with me. In time we discovered there was more to our friendship.

We shared a lot of interests. We loved to travel and ski, and our Christian faith gives a rich foundation to all that we do. As we got to know each other on a deeper level over dinner, I learned that since he was 15, Kym had been managing kidney disease. Only one of his kidneys worked, and he'd lived his whole life with it operating at about 20 per cent.

He had always been able to manage his condition through diet and having semi-regular check-ups with specialists. He largely lived a life free from complications. He never drew attention to himself. He's just not that sort of person.

Kym always knew he would one day need a new kidney and fortunately had a willing donor. So, when Kym's kidney function began to decline in 2013, we decided to go overseas and have a good holiday, knowing he may not be able to do it again. As it happened, his kidney kept ticking over.

We pushed the envelope. In June 2016 we got married and after that, we travelled every year for three or four weeks and made the most of it, saying, this will be the last one, and then, one more, one more! Kym was being monitored closely. He would see his doctor every three months. Soon it became every month and then nearly every fortnight.

Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av The Australian Women's Weekly.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av The Australian Women's Weekly.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLYSe alt
Hitting a nerve
The Australian Women's Weekly

Hitting a nerve

Regulating the vagus nerve with its links to depression, anxiety, arthritis and diabetes - could aid physical and mental wellbeing.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
Take me to the river
The Australian Women's Weekly

Take me to the river

With a slew of new schedules and excursions to explore, the latest river cruises promise to give you experiences and sights you won’t see on the ocean.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
The last act
The Australian Women's Weekly

The last act

When family patriarch Tom Edwards passes away, his children must come together to build his coffin in four days, otherwise they will lose their inheritance. Can they put their sibling rivalry aside?

time-read
8 mins  |
July 2024
MEET RUSSIA'S BRAVEST WOMEN
The Australian Women's Weekly

MEET RUSSIA'S BRAVEST WOMEN

When Alexei Navalny died in a brutal Arctic prison, Vladimir Putin thought he had triumphed over his most formidable opponent. Until three courageous women - Alexei's mother, wife and daughter - took up his fight for freedom.

time-read
8 mins  |
July 2024
The wines and lines mums
The Australian Women's Weekly

The wines and lines mums

Once only associated with glamorous A-listers, cocaine is now prevalent with the soccer-mum set - as likely to be imbibed at a school fundraiser as a nightclub. The Weekly looks inside this illegal, addictive, rising trend.

time-read
10 mins  |
July 2024
Jenny Liddle-Bob.Lucy McDonald.Sasha Green - Why don't you know their names?
The Australian Women's Weekly

Jenny Liddle-Bob.Lucy McDonald.Sasha Green - Why don't you know their names?

Indigenous women are being murdered at frightening rates, their deaths often left uninvestigated and widely unreported. Here The Weekly meets families who are battling grief and desperate for solutions.

time-read
10+ mins  |
July 2024
Growing happiness
The Australian Women's Weekly

Growing happiness

Through drought flood and heartbreak, Jenny Jennr's sunflowers bloom with hope, sunshine and joy

time-read
8 mins  |
July 2024
"Thank God we make each other laugh"
The Australian Women's Weekly

"Thank God we make each other laugh"

A shared sense of humour has seen Aussie comedy couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall conquer the world. But what does life look like when the cameras go down:

time-read
7 mins  |
July 2024
Winter baking with apples and pears
The Australian Women's Weekly

Winter baking with apples and pears

Celebrate the season of Australian apples and pears with these sweet bakes that will keep the midwinter blues away.

time-read
10+ mins  |
July 2024
Budget dinner winners
The Australian Women's Weekly

Budget dinner winners

Looking for some thrifty inspiration for weeknight dinners? Try our tasty line-up of low-cost recipes that are bound to please everyone at the table.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024