Hilaria Asumu, Nigerian woman who had kidney transplant, elected councilor in UK

Hilaria Asumu, a Nigerian woman who received a life-saving kidney transplant in 2018, has been elected as a councillor for Walkden South in the United Kingdom.

Asumu contested on the platform of the Labour and Co-operative Party and polled 1,318 votes to defeat Hainey Janet, her closest rival who got 754 votes.

The elections were held on Thursday.

Asumu was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2008 in what she said was a devastating blow to her and her family.

After undergoing extensive treatment, including dialysis, she received a kidney transplant in 2018 from a mother who had lost her son to the same illness.

Her experience led her to become involved in various community service initiatives particularly in the healthcare sector, setting up her charity, WSH BME Kidney Network, raising awareness about kidney disease, organ donation, and health inequalities affecting Africans and other under-represented white communities in the UK.

“I am humbled and honoured to have been elected as a councillor for Walkden South,” Asumu said in a statement on Friday.

“As a kidney patient, I understand the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare, and I am committed to making sure that our community has access to the best possible care. I also believe in the power of community involvement and participation in decision-making, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that every voice is heard.”

The Nigerian-born politician said she was also building a free dialysis centre in Edo state to treat people who cannot afford the expensive dialysis treatment as part of her commitments to community empowerment.