Deganwy transplant survivor graduates as nurse
Carly Edge, a double lung transplant survivor, earns a first‑class nursing degree and prepares to work at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
A Deganwy woman who survived a double lung transplant eight years ago has graduated with a first‑class nursing degree and is set to begin work in a Welsh hospital.
Carly Edge, 37, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was only six weeks old.
She grew up in relatively good health, but by her late twenties her condition had deteriorated sharply.
Doctors told her a double lung transplant was the only viable option to extend her life.
“I was very poorly, but I was lucky enough to have the transplant just before my 30th birthday,” she said.
The operation took place at Manchester’s Wythenshawe Hospital, where she spent a month recovering.
“I spent a month in Wythenshawe Hospital, but once I had recovered, I felt amazing.” It was so transformative,” Edge recalled.
After the transplant she felt a renewed sense of possibility and decided to change career direction.
Previously she had pursued a successful path in accountancy, a field she entered after enjoying maths at school.
“I’d never really considered nursing as a career before as I hadn’t been well enough, but after the transplant, I really felt like the world was my oyster,” she explained.
She chose to study nursing at Wrexham University’s St Asaph campus to stay close to home.
“I chose to study at Wrexham University’s St Asaph campus as I wanted to stay close to home,” she said.
Edge praised the support she received during her studies, describing the staff as “amazing”.
“There were certain placements that I couldn’t go on, but the whole team at St Asaph were amazing and they looked after me like a piece of gold,” she added.
She completed the programme with a first‑class honours degree.
In the coming weeks she will start a role as a nurse in the Outpatients Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
Edge also continues her involvement with NHS Blood and Transplant as a voluntary Patient Partner for lung transplantation.
“I have a voluntary role as a Patient Partner for lung transplantation at NHSBT which I’m very passionate about,” she said.
She sits on the national decision‑making group for lung transplantation in the UK, working alongside senior NHS leaders and clinicians.
“I sit on the national decision‑making group for lung transplantation in the UK, and it’s a privilege to work alongside senior NHS leaders and clinicians in developing strategy and policy for lung transplant services,” she noted.
Edge highlighted the dedication of the organisations and donors that make transplantation possible.
“The organisations behind transplants in the UK, and the people involved, are incredible.” They’re so dedicated to improving outcomes for patients,” she said.
She expressed gratitude for the generosity of organ donors that gave her a new lease of life.
“Because of them, and the generosity of people who donate their organs, people like me get a new lease of life,” she added.
Edge is eager to begin her nursing career and help others as she was helped.
“I can’t wait to start my new role in nursing and help others like I was helped,” she said.
Her story underscores the impact of transplant services and the potential for patients to give back to the system that saved them.
Wrexham University continues to offer nursing degrees with March and September intakes, including fully funded options for eligible students.
Edge’s achievement adds a personal dimension to the ongoing discussion about organ donation and transplant pathways across Wales and the wider UK.