A boy who suffers from a rare medical condition has been given a new lease of life after his dad donated one of his kidneys.
Christopher Owen was diagnosed with Henoch Schoenlein Purpura, a disorder where the immune system attacks the body’s own cells and organs, in June 2019.
The Seaham youngster had previously been fit and well but suddenly needed dialysis, invasive procedures and frequent blood tests.
When it became clear a transplant was needed doctors initially tried to find a deceased donor, but when a suitable one could not be found they turned to his family.
His dad, also called Christopher, volunteered immediately and the operation was carried out last August.
Christopher senior joked: “I had two anyway so one was going spare.”
He added: “There was no hesitation. He is my son, it is just what you do.
“As soon as I knew it was an option I got tested.
“The bond between us has always been as strong as ever but now part of me is also part of him.”
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Young Christopher, who turned 13 on Tuesday, was back with classmates at Seaham High School within weeks, but the operation took his 40-year-old dad, who lives near Ipswich, three months to recover from.
Christopher, who works as an electric vehicle technician, said: “His body was going from a starting point of zero and my functionality was reduced by 50 per cent.
“It hurt like hell waking up but I would do it again tomorrow.
“I would do it again in a heartbeat.
“He could have the other one as well but there might be some complications for me.”
The transplant has changed the boy’s life as he had been forced to adapt to changing medical treatments, overcome dietary and fluid restrictions and working well with his doctors and nurses.
The courage he has shown over the last five years has earned him a Brave Heart award, which are given to children who have shown great strength in the face of adversity.
His dad said: “We were not expecting it so it was nice that he was nominated.
“He has a rough few years to say the least and he has gone through a lot.”
Christopher’s mum Pam Howarth, who still lives in Seaham, said it was possible Christopher will need another kidney at some point in his life.
She said: “There is a chance of the HSP coming back and his body attacking itself again.
“That is how it started. It is his immune system attacking itself.
“We were going to hang on to see if we could get a deceased donor at first.
“But in two-and-a-half years there was only one that came up.
“They tested it but it was from someone who was a heavy smoker and heavy drinker, it had been an old man with high blood pressure so they said they were not going to give him that one.
“He has got his dads and although it is 40 years old they have said with it being a close match it will probably last the longest.
“It was up and working straight away.
“The difference in him and the energy he has now is amazing.”
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