Father aims to give the gift of life

Lisa Williams has been on dialysis for five years after she contracted polycystic disease, a condition which sees cysts grow on the kidney, when she was just 20. Her mother Sharon, aged 46, donated her kidney two years ago but the donation was unsuccessful. Now her father Mark, 47, is hoping to give his daughter a second chance.

Mark, from Friar Park Road, Wednesbury, was told earlier this week he would not be able to donate a kidney – but is hoping an upcoming hospital appointment will bring good news.

Mark, who is also father to Tammy, 22 and Demi, 15, said the family first realised Lisa was ill in January 2004 after her body swelled up, she developed a rash and had a temperature.

She had also been suffering with a cough and cold, and when she was admitted to Sandwell Hospital it was discovered she had pneumonia.

She was transferred to New Cross Hospital where she was diagnosed with polycystic disease. Lisa, who lives in Parklands Road, Wednesbury, was so ill that Mark and Sharon, a carer, were told to expect the worst.

She is now on dialysis for nine hours a day and the only way she could hope to come off it would be to have a successful kidney donation.

Mark said: "We thought about becoming donors straight away, but it took a bit of time for Lisa to get well before we could start doing the tests."

Sharon was a one per cent stronger match so it was agreed she would go ahead with the operation. It took place in November 2006 at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital but complications quickly arose and the kidney was eventually removed in March 2007.

Mark then stepped forward, but after 14 months of tests was told he could not donate as his left heart ventricle was slightly muscular which could lead to difficulties in later life.

But just a day later he received a letter from his transplant co-ordinator at New Cross Hospital inviting him to an appointment and is hoping to receive good news. "They've given me a bit of hope again," he said.