A TEENAGER who donated money from a bravery award to help pay for a new play park is facing a race against time to be well enough to attend its official opening.

Faizan Awan, 15, has been asked to be the guest of honour at a 'Spirit of Friendship' event being held in the Corporation Park, Blackburn, on March 30, when the play area will be unveiled.

The Beardwood High School pupil, of Leamington Road, Blackburn, spent 18 months on a dialysis machine in between his kidneys failing and an operation using a donated one from his father, Khalid, which took place in June 2000.

It was the second time Faizan had undergone such an operation, having had his first transplant when he was just three years old when his kidneys were found to be malfunctioning.

After the operation, it was feared Faizan might need a third operation after he developed an infection.

He finally returned to school last year.

In total, he has undergone 25 operations since he was born, and before the second transplant would spend each and every night attached to a dialysis machine, purifying the blood because the kidneys had failed.

Faizan's courage in the face of adversity earned him a £1,500 prize from the National Kidney Research Foundation when he won one of their Young Heroes awards.

He chose to give it to Blackburn with Darwen Council to kick-start an appeal for a new play area.

In total, £30,000 has been spent on the revamped area.

A further £2million is being spent by the council on improving the whole park after the council secured a bid for National Lottery money.

Faizan's mother, Parveen, said: "We are really pleased that the park has finally been completed. I suppose these things always take good time.

"We are just hoping Faizan is fit for the occasion now. He has been off school for a week with an infection.