A Desperate Wait for a Kidney Transplant
Amrit Paul was in the middle of his computer science examinations when he was informed by doctors that he would need a kidney transplant. It was a shock, and he didn’t really know how to deal with it. Almost five years ago, he was transferred to the organ donation register after diagnosing chronic kidney disease at the age of four. Amrit experiences nine hours of peritoneal dialysis every night, a method for blood purification that is used when kidney failures.
The Struggle to Find a Donor
Amrit’s family is his motivation, and they have been very supportive. His mother, Jatinder, heads his campaign, and their appeal is for a living kidney donor from the South Asian community to come forward. The family’s appeal comes as a record number of people in Great Britain are waiting for a life-saving transplant. When Amrit’s immediate family discovered that they could not donate, they also became aware of the lack of suitable donors with global majority reasons.
The Importance of Ethnicity in Donation
Dr. Rhys Evans, clinical lead for kidney transplantation, said that ethnicity can play an important role in the waiting time of a patient. Unfortunately, for patients such as Amrit, who has blood group B, which often occurs in South Asian and black ethnic groups, often means a longer waiting time because there are fewer donors from these communities. As of March 31, 2025, there were more than 8,000 people on active transplantation throughout the UK – the highest number that has ever been recorded.
The Need for Greater Awareness
Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Charity Kidney Care UK, said that greater awareness and conversation in ethnic minority communities is of crucial importance. Unfortunately, at least one person dies on a transplant every day. That has to change. People from black and South Asian communities need a donor from the same background as it, so that the organ is less likely to be rejected. Talking about it and sharing their decision helps to expose myths and make their wishes clear to dear.
A Call to Action
Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, calls on people to register their wishes. We are faced with an incredibly concerned situation. More people than ever wait for transplants, but there are fewer donations. We have to act in all areas – the register of the organ donor register, understanding the law and investing in technologies that preserve and treat organs.
A Family’s Hope
Despite the difficulties and uncertainty about whether a donor comes forward, the family states that they remain hopeful. They want to spread the word, bring consciousness and find a match. Amrit is focused on leading a normal life, and that gives them the strength to continue as a unit. His family is determined to find a donor and save his life.
