There are no limits to a mother’s love, but one Antrim mum is about to go above and beyond to help the little boy she describes as “a real little character.”
Sarah Lamont (36) from Ballymena is preparing to undergo major surgery in order to donate a kidney and part of her liver to her four-year-old son Joe.
Born with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, little Joe has been on dialysis since he had his kidneys removed. When he also developed advanced liver disease, Joe’s mum Sarah decided she couldn’t allow him to languish on the transplant list any longer.
Tests at Birmingham Children’s Hospital revealed that Sarah and Joe were a match and plans were put in place for a liver transplant to take place on January 25, followed by a kidney operation some months later, when mother and son are well enough to undergo surgery again.
Sarah, who is also mum to Joe’s older siblings Max and Eve, told the Belfast Telegraph:
“In June, Joe had been on the transplant list for over a year and there was no sign of him getting a call,”
“Meanwhile, we saw other wee kids getting kidneys from their mum or dad. It’s life changing for them.”
“I’m lucky I can give Joe a liver and kidney, but if he had a heart problem he could die waiting,” she explained. “You also don’t know how long organ transplants last, so he’ll probably need multiple transplants in his life.”
Urging others to register as a donor she said: “If you’re on your deathbed of course you would take an organ, so if you’re prepared to take it you should of course be prepared to give.”
To request a donor card today, click here.
Images: Belfast Telegraph
