A determined West Lothian woman who needs a transplant is keeping her dream alive of hotfooting it onto the dance floor during a night she’s organised to raise money for Kidney Research.
Dot Currie, who is fondly known as Disco Dot, was unaware she had had problems with her kidney until she ended up in hospital in 2022.
“I had a mini-stroke over two years ago and when I went in they were doing routine tests and bloods and discovered it,” Dot said.
“I only realised because a nurse told me they couldn’t believe I was walking at that stage because my kidneys were that bad.
“I’ve been on the waiting list for a transplant since around about the summer time. There’s a three to three-and-a-half year waiting list. It’s like a lottery ticket.
“I do dialysis four times a day at home. I tried the two different machines available but neither worked for me, so I have to do it manually.”
The mum-of-one, who has a 32-year-old son, has always been the life and soul of the party. But her love of dancing has been curtailed by her ill health.
Despite her health worries, Dot decided to organise a fundraising night for the charity Kidney Research which will take place at The Village pub in East Calder, with tickets for the disco and live music night already sold out.
“”I just feel that I have to do something. I won’t let it beat me,” Dot added.
“My goal is to still be on the dance floor when I’m 88, and I’m going to try and get on the dance floor on the night. Just now I’m restricted to dancing in my chair.”
Jenny Kennedy from Livingston is helping Dot with the organisation of the charity night, and describes her friend as an “absolute warrior”.
“Dot’s the bravest woman I know,” said Jenny. “She used to be the life and soul of the party, and is known as Disco Dot.
“She always has a smile on her face, no matter what and her ultimate goal is to get back on the dance floor just like she used to.
“Dot’s 64, but you’d never guess it – she looks so well considering everything she’s been through.”
With hindsight, Dot now realises that something wasn’t quite right before she was hospitalised with the mini-stroke.
“I only noticed it gradually at the beginning,” she said. “I was getting breathless and was climbing the stairs in work and was knackered by the time I got to the top.
“When I look back now I realise that was what was slowly happening to my body.
“I hadn’t been to the doctors for over 30 years because I was never ill. So they had to do every single test you can think of, as there was nothing on record about me.
“They put me on steroids and I was on them for ages. I went from being a size 10 to an 18, I was huge. It’s starting to come off now as I’m not on the steroids anymore, but it takes time to take the weight back off.
“I just want to raise awareness as I never had a clue about kidney problems until this happened to me.”
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