Mother speechless at response to donor appeal to save Lancashire son with kidney disease

Willam Verden, 17, has a rare kidney condition that only affects around seven in every million people, and can be fatal.

A mother who set up a kidney donor appeal to save her son has said she is "stuck for words" after receiving messages from people offering to get tested.

William Verden, 17, who has autism and is being treated for a rare kidney condition at Manchester Children's Hospital, is facing a "race against time" according to mother Ami McLennan.

Specialists want a judge to decide what treatment options are in the teenager's best interests, including if they can stop treating the teenager, who is in a "pretty dire situation."

William Verden, 17, has autism and kidney disease - specialists want to withdraw treatment but his mother is appealing for a donor. Credit: Family handout/Irwin Mitchell

William is now at the centre of a court dispute in the Court of Protection, where issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions are considered.

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot is due to oversee a trial in the Court of Protection, where judges consider issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to take decisions for themselves.

Ms McLennan says a transplant is a "feasible option".

It will be decided in Liverpool later this month.

His mother said: "I'll never give up because I do believe he deserves a chance.

"God forbid if he gets a transplant and it doesn't work, then he's had every opportunity that everybody is entitled to."

William, who has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, was diagnosed with the kidney condition focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in December 2019.

The disease only affects around seven in every million people, attacking the kidneys’ filtering units, causing scarring that leads to permanent damage and, sometimes, organ failure.

William’s current kidney function is around 5%, though he is still active including playing golf and regularly hitting up to 150 balls on a driving range.

He is under the care of Manchester Children’s Hospital which is run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and was initially on steroids.

But by May 2020, having reached end-stage kidney failure, he was having dialysis via his stomach at home 10 hours a day, six days a week.

Mother's appeal for donor to save teenage son's life