THE mum of a teenager whose life was saved by a kidney transplant and now urgently needs another has hit out in the row over "sickening" racist organ donations.
Parveen Awan has to watch her 13-year-old son Faizan cope with 10 hours of dialysis a day as he waits for a potential match to be found for a transplant.
"If people saw what Faizan and we are going through I am sure they would want their organs to be used for anyone, not just someone from their own race," said angry Parveen.
Her comments came after the case came to light of a donor in the north east who wanted his organs donated only to a white recipient.
There have since been reports of an Asian donor in Manchester wanting their organs to be used only for patients from their own community.
"When I first heard about this I was sickened," said Parveen, of Leamington Road, Blackburn.
"I give blood regularly and I don't care who it goes to and I don't think anyone should. People who want to donate their organs should want to do it for the good of everyone not just their own race."
Faizan Awan's only kidney failed suddenly three months ago, 10 years after he received a transplant from an unknown donor. Now he desperately needs another and the hunt is on to find a suitable match - the best chance being a kidney from an Asian person.
His father Khalid is undergoing tissue tests to see if his would be suitable but the matching process takes several months.
Until then he must spend 10 hours a day on a dialysis machine installed at his home.
The Beardwood High School pupil has already had 24 operations because he was born with malfunctioning kidneys.
Keen footballer Faizan had his first transplant was when he was three when his existing kidneys were removed and replaced with a donated one. That kidney enabled Faizan to lead a normal life until it failed earlier this year.
Every night at 9pm Faizan has to go to bed and be attached to the machine until the morning.
Although dialysis six days a week is keeping Faizan alive, the longer he needs it the more chance his health will deteriorate.
"It is very difficult for a teenager to cope with, especially when the weather is nice. His school work is also being affected by the amount of time off he has to have," said Parveen.
"We just want more people to come forward and carry donor cards to give Faizan a better chance."
The Organ Donor Registration line is 0845 60604000.
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