Belfast parents hope to donate kidney to son whose own are poisoning him

A Belfast mum and dad are hoping to be able to donate one of their own kidneys to their son whose own are poisoning him.

Hollie Barr and partner Darrel Kelly welcomed their first son Alfie into the world on September 9, 2016, but just one week after they brought him home, the newborn was rushed into hospital after falling unconscious.

After a series of tests, the new parents were then told their son stage 5 chronic kidney disease and his kidneys were poisoning him. Doctors said he would need dialysis and a kidney transplant.

Now, as their son prepares to turn three, the couple are hoping one of them will be a match for their little fighter, who is currently undergoing dialysis at the Royal Victoria Hospital three times a week.

Speaking to Belfast Live, 22-year-old Hollie said: "All through my pregnancy things were fine but I still had that worry, I think I knew before he was born there was something wrong.

"I had him and he was home for a week and then one night he went unconscious, just all floppy. If it wasn't for my mum I don't know what I would have done. She was trying to give him CPR and he was coming back.

"We had called the ambulance and they were brilliant and were there in minutes but it felt like ages to me."

Alfie was taken to the Royal as doctors worked to find out what was wrong with the newborn. The next day blood tests showed an issue and were repeated.

"The doctor told us he was poisoning himself, his kidneys were not cleaning things the way they should and they wanted to do the tests again," said Hollie.

"We were brought into a wee room and told Alfie had stage 5 chronic kidney disease. His kidneys had not developed properly and they were too small and he would need dialysis and a transplant in the future.

"It was crazy, we  were just asking how this happened, we asked if it was genetic but we were told it wasn't it was just one of those things that happened.

"He was rushed to ICU, they wanted to drain everything out of his stomach and start from there. We were in the Barbour Ward for a month-and-a-half just working on his routine and he was put on a special milk."

Alfie had a PEG tube fitted into his stomach and in October last year needed to start dialysis. He now gets dialysis three times a week in two-and-a-half hour blocks.

"He is a very social wee child and he loves seeing everyone and talking away," said Hollie.

"He is so funny, just a wee character. He is the best wee thing ever and at the moment we are just getting more information about his transplant.

"One of us is hoping to donate a kidney to him and we hope that happens in the next year or two. It is a long process but we would do anything for him.

"Me, my sister and his other aunt are all the same blood group but it has to be the same tissue type too so we need to go through other tests. His dad has blood tested recently so we are waiting on the results."

The family have started fundraising for the Children's Kidney Fund Northern Ireland for all the support they have given them since Alfie's diagnosis.

On July 6, a charity boxing event is being organised by Hollie's sister's fiance Mathew Fitzsimons at the Devenish Complex to help raise funds for the charity.

"We could not be more grateful for what they have done for us and we want to give back by doing this fundraising," she said.

To find out how to help with the fundraising, click here .

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