Latest news with #kidneytransplant
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Living kidney donor 'will give our son a new life'
Amrit Paul was in the middle of his computer science exams when he was told by doctors he would need a kidney transplant. "It was a shock. I didn't really know how to handle it and, in all honesty, I went into a shell," he said. He was placed on the organ donation register almost five years ago, having been diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease aged four. Amrit undergoes nine hours of peritoneal dialysis each night, a method of blood purification used when kidneys fail. "People say I look fine, but under the hood there are a lot of problems," the 24-year-old said. Now he and his parents are appealing for a living kidney donor from the South Asian community to come forward. 'Debunk myths' "Feeling your body change as your organs start to decline is tough," added Amrit, who works remotely in software sales. "My family are my motivation, they've been so supportive." Amrit's mum Jatinder Paul is leading their campaign. Their poster reads: "Please, help us find an angel for Amrit." Their appeal comes as NHS Blood and Transplant reveals that a record number of people are waiting for a life-saving transplant in the UK. When Amrit's immediate family, who are Indian Punjabi, discovered they were unable to donate, they also became aware of the shortage of matching donors from global majority backgrounds. "As a parent, it's hard not being able to donate because of your own health issues," said Jatinder. "So you reach out to the wider community and ask if there's someone who can help give him his life back." Dr Rhys Evans, clinical lead for kidney transplantation at Royal Free London, where Amrit is receiving care, said ethnicity can play a significant role in how long a patient waits. "Unfortunately, for patients like Amrit who has blood group B, which is more common in South Asian and Black ethnic groups it often means a longer wait, because there are fewer donors from those communities," he said. As of 31 March 2025, more than 8,000 people were on the active transplant waiting list across the UK - the highest number ever recorded. Over 1,300 of those patients are based in London. In the capital, the number of deceased organ donors fell last year to 130, down from 154 the previous year. Fiona Loud, policy director at charity Kidney Care UK, said greater awareness and conversation within ethnic minority communities is vital. "Sadly, every day at least one person dies waiting for a transplant. This has to change," she said. "People from Black and South Asian communities are more likely to need a donor from the same background as them so that the organ is less likely to be rejected. "Talking about it and sharing your decision helps debunk myths and makes your wishes clear to loved ones." Funding for more black and Asian blood donors Lack of ethnic diversity among egg and sperm donors Couple donate stem cells in 'rare' double match Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, is also urging people to register their wishes. "We are facing an incredibly concerning situation. More people than ever are waiting for transplants, but fewer donations are taking place," he said. "We need to act across all areas - modernising the Organ Donor Register, improving understanding of the law, and investing in technologies that preserve and treat organs." Despite the difficulties and uncertainty about whether a donor will come forward, the family say they remain hopeful. "We want to spread the word, bring awareness and find a match," said Jatinder. "He's focused on living a normal life, and that's what gives us the strength to keep going as a unit." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to NHS: Become a living donor
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Living kidney donor 'will give our son a new life'
Amrit Paul was in the middle of his computer science exams when he was told by doctors he would need a kidney transplant. "It was a shock. I didn't really know how to handle it and, in all honesty, I went into a shell," he said. He was placed on the organ donation register almost five years ago, having been diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease aged four. Amrit undergoes nine hours of peritoneal dialysis each night, a method of blood purification used when kidneys fail. "People say I look fine, but under the hood there are a lot of problems," the 24-year-old said. Now he and his parents are appealing for a living kidney donor from the South Asian community to come forward. 'Debunk myths' "Feeling your body change as your organs start to decline is tough," added Amrit, who works remotely in software sales. "My family are my motivation, they've been so supportive." Amrit's mum Jatinder Paul is leading their campaign. Their poster reads: "Please, help us find an angel for Amrit." Their appeal comes as NHS Blood and Transplant reveals that a record number of people are waiting for a life-saving transplant in the UK. When Amrit's immediate family, who are Indian Punjabi, discovered they were unable to donate, they also became aware of the shortage of matching donors from global majority backgrounds. "As a parent, it's hard not being able to donate because of your own health issues," said Jatinder. "So you reach out to the wider community and ask if there's someone who can help give him his life back." Dr Rhys Evans, clinical lead for kidney transplantation at Royal Free London, where Amrit is receiving care, said ethnicity can play a significant role in how long a patient waits. "Unfortunately, for patients like Amrit who has blood group B, which is more common in South Asian and Black ethnic groups it often means a longer wait, because there are fewer donors from those communities," he said. As of 31 March 2025, more than 8,000 people were on the active transplant waiting list across the UK - the highest number ever recorded. Over 1,300 of those patients are based in London. In the capital, the number of deceased organ donors fell last year to 130, down from 154 the previous year. Fiona Loud, policy director at charity Kidney Care UK, said greater awareness and conversation within ethnic minority communities is vital. "Sadly, every day at least one person dies waiting for a transplant. This has to change," she said. "People from Black and South Asian communities are more likely to need a donor from the same background as them so that the organ is less likely to be rejected. "Talking about it and sharing your decision helps debunk myths and makes your wishes clear to loved ones." Funding for more black and Asian blood donors Lack of ethnic diversity among egg and sperm donors Couple donate stem cells in 'rare' double match Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, is also urging people to register their wishes. "We are facing an incredibly concerning situation. More people than ever are waiting for transplants, but fewer donations are taking place," he said. "We need to act across all areas - modernising the Organ Donor Register, improving understanding of the law, and investing in technologies that preserve and treat organs." Despite the difficulties and uncertainty about whether a donor will come forward, the family say they remain hopeful. "We want to spread the word, bring awareness and find a match," said Jatinder. "He's focused on living a normal life, and that's what gives us the strength to keep going as a unit." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to NHS: Become a living donor
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Mum seeks living kidney donor from the South Asian community
Amrit Paul was in the middle of his computer science exams when he was told by doctors he would need a kidney transplant."It was a shock. I didn't really know how to handle it and, in all honesty, I went into a shell," he was placed on the organ donation register almost five years ago, having been diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease aged undergoes nine hours of peritoneal dialysis each night, a method of blood purification used when kidneys fail. "People say I look fine, but under the hood there are a lot of problems," the 24-year-old he and his parents are appealing for a living kidney donor from the South Asian community to come forward. 'Debunk myths' "Feeling your body change as your organs start to decline is tough," added Amrit, who works remotely in software sales."My family are my motivation, they've been so supportive."Amrit's mum Jatinder Paul is leading their campaign. Their poster reads: "Please, help us find an angel for Amrit."Their appeal comes as NHS Blood and Transplant reveals that a record number of people are waiting for a life-saving transplant in the UK. When Amrit's immediate family, who are Indian Punjabi, discovered they were unable to donate, they also became aware of the shortage of matching donors from global majority backgrounds."As a parent, it's hard not being able to donate because of your own health issues," said Jatinder."So you reach out to the wider community and ask if there's someone who can help give him his life back." Dr Rhys Evans, clinical lead for kidney transplantation at Royal Free London, where Amrit is receiving care, said ethnicity can play a significant role in how long a patient waits."Unfortunately, for patients like Amrit who has blood group B, which is more common in South Asian and Black ethnic groups it often means a longer wait, because there are fewer donors from those communities," he of 31 March 2025, more than 8,000 people were on the active transplant waiting list across the UK - the highest number ever recorded. Over 1,300 of those patients are based in the capital, the number of deceased organ donors fell last year to 130, down from 154 the previous year. Fiona Loud, policy director at charity Kidney Care UK, said greater awareness and conversation within ethnic minority communities is vital."Sadly, every day at least one person dies waiting for a transplant. This has to change," she said."People from Black and South Asian communities are more likely to need a donor from the same background as them so that the organ is less likely to be rejected. "Talking about it and sharing your decision helps debunk myths and makes your wishes clear to loved ones." Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, is also urging people to register their wishes."We are facing an incredibly concerning situation. More people than ever are waiting for transplants, but fewer donations are taking place," he said."We need to act across all areas - modernising the Organ Donor Register, improving understanding of the law, and investing in technologies that preserve and treat organs." Despite the difficulties and uncertainty about whether a donor will come forward, the family say they remain hopeful."We want to spread the word, bring awareness and find a match," said Jatinder. "He's focused on living a normal life, and that's what gives us the strength to keep going as a unit."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Updated Data from Eledon Pharmaceuticals' Ongoing Phase 1b Trial of Tegoprubart in Patients Undergoing Kidney Transplantation to be Presented at the World Transplant Congress 2025
IRVINE, Calif., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eledon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ('Eledon') (Nasdaq: ELDN) today announced that updated clinical data from its ongoing open-label Phase 1b study evaluating tegoprubart for the prevention of rejection in subjects undergoing kidney transplantation will be presented at the World Transplant Congress (WTC) taking place in San Francisco from August 2-6, 2025. The oral presentation will feature updated results from approximately 30 kidney transplant recipients and will be presented by Dr. John Gill from the University of British Columbia. Details of the oral presentation are as follows: Title: Tegoprubart, an Anti-CD40L Antibody, for the Prevention of Rejection in Kidney Transplantation: An Ongoing Phase 1b StudySession: Oral Presentation, Kidney Novel Immunosuppressant StrategiesPresenter: John Gill, MD, MS, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CanadaSession Date and Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2025: 10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. PT Following the session, a copy of the presentation can be found on the Investor section of the Company's website at The Company will also sponsor a satellite symposium at WTC titled: 'What Truly Defines Kidney Transplant Success: Early Rejection or Lasting Function?', to be held on Sunday, August 3, at 1:00 pm PT. Faculty include Allan Kirk, MD, Duke University School of Medicine, Oriol Bestard, MD, PhD, MD, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, John Gill, MD, MS, University of British Columbia, Alexandre Loupy, MD, PhD, Necker Hospital and Deirdre Sawinski, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College. In addition to the oral presentation, new preclinical data, utilizing tegoprubart for the prevention of rejection in non-human primates undergoing liver transplantation, will be presented by Dr. Andrew Adams in a poster session: Title: Anti-CD154 Facilitates Long-Term Liver Allograft Survival in Non-Human PrimatesSession: Poster PresentationPresenter: Andrew Adams, MD, PhD, University of MinnesotaDate and Time: Sunday, August 3, 2025, 3:30 p.m. PT About Eledon Pharmaceuticals and tegoprubart Eledon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company that is developing immune-modulating therapies for the management and treatment of life-threatening conditions. The Company's lead investigational product is tegoprubart, an anti-CD40L antibody with high affinity for the CD40 Ligand, a well-validated biological target that has broad therapeutic potential. The central role of CD40L signaling in both adaptive and innate immune cell activation and function positions it as an attractive target for non-lymphocyte depleting, immunomodulatory therapeutic intervention. The Company is building upon a deep historical knowledge of anti-CD40 Ligand biology to conduct preclinical and clinical studies in kidney allograft transplantation, xenotransplantation, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Eledon is headquartered in Irvine, California. For more information, please visit the Company's website at Follow Eledon Pharmaceuticals on social media: LinkedIn; Twitter Investor Contact: Stephen JasperGilmartin Group(858) 525 2047stephen@ Media Contact: Jenna UrbanCG Life(212) 253 8881jurban@ Source: Eledon Pharmaceuticals
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
Speeding 'show off', 42, who hit and killed 15-year-old schoolgirl on pedestrian crossing months after she received kidney transplant is jailed for 16 months
A speeding 'show off' driver who hit and killed a 15-year-old schoolgirl on a pedestrian crossing just months after she was given a life-saving kidney transplant has been jailed. Christopher West, 42, smashed into Keely Morgan on a pedestrian crossing in Caerau, Cardiff, at around 9:30pm on May 1, 2023, driving well over the 30mph limit. West failed to see Keely, despite her being brightly lit by the glow of an iPad she was using while crossing. The 15-year-old had battled severe health problems for years and undergone a kidney transplant in 2021 that had given her a new lease of life. At Cardiff Crown Court, disturbing details emerged about West's behaviour on the night of the crash. West's two daughters and their friend were passengers in the car. One witness told police that West had been 'snaking', weaving aggressively along the road, and had deliberately disconnected the car's black box, invalidating his insurance, and 'show off' to his young passengers. West initially tried to claim the black box was disconnected because he was working on the car and had simply forgotten to reconnect it. He also denied speeding and said his driving was normal. But the testimony of his passengers painted a very different picture, revealing reckless, dangerous behaviour that cost a young life. West pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving without insurance. 'This tragedy has shattered my family beyond repair and is a loss we will carry for the rest of our lives,' Keely's heartbroken mother Sian Morgan said in a statement read out to the court. Ms Morgan said Keely had been given a 'second chance of life' aged 13 when she received a kidney transplant. She said: 'She fought so hard to have the opportunity to live a normal life and have the joys of being a teenager. 'She remained brave, courageous, and positive, but those dreams have been cruelly taken from her in an instant. 'She'll never be able to finish school, go to university, follow her dreams, experience the joys and the milestones of life. 'She had so much love to give. She was truly an incredible person with promise and a future ahead of her.' Her mother said 'no words' could describe the pain of losing Keely. 'Every day I wake up and relive a nightmare. Her loss ripples through every part of our lives. My heart aches every day for my daughter who I can no longer hug or see the incredible person she could have been. 'The world is a darker place without her. The trauma of losing her in a sudden, violent, but preventable way haunts us. She told West: 'This was totally avoidable. That one decision, that one moment, took everything from us. 'A pedestrian crossing is meant to protect people like Keely, who was using the crossing appropriately as she had a right to do so but she was struck and killed. 'Her life was taken by the drastic failure of you and you alone. You had a duty to uphold fundamental safety laws of being safe while driving and you chose not to do so 'She was an irreplaceable part of my life, and her family loved her more than words can say. Her life mattered. Her death must mean something. No sentence will ever bring her back.' Judge Paul Hobson branded West as an 'irresponsible show off' as he sentenced him today. 'Keely Morgan was just 15 years old when she died on May 1 2023,' he said. 'Keely died as a result of your actions, as a result of your careless driving that evening.' He added: 'You should have seen her and come to a stop in order to allow her to cross. 'Instead, you continued driving, oblivious to her, meaning that when Keely stepped into the road, you collided with her.' He said West would have been able to see Keely for between 130-150 meters before the collision, adding: 'Ultimately Keely was there to be seen.' The judge said police estimated West was travelling between 32-43mph but most likely at 37mph. He described Keely as a young woman who was part of a 'large family network' and her loss had 'devastated those who loved her'. The judge said it was 'plain' that West had been driving over the 30mph limit the road had at the time. West had been described as 'apologetic' and in a state of panic after the collision. But the judge said: 'Any remorse that you have is overshadowed by your attempts to minimise your level of responsibility, to the extent of challenging what your own passengers were saying. 'Although you may well be sorry for what happened to Keely, a large part of your concern is for yourself.' The judge handed West a 16-month prison sentence and disqualified him from driving for two years and eight months. As he was sent down, there were shouts of 'f*** off' and 'disgusting' from the public gallery.
