Transplant hope for girl with kidney condition

Mia Mason, from Harrogate, will need a transplant within the next 12 months after she was born with the rare illness congenital nephrotic syndrome.

She is already a regular patient at Leeds Children’s Hospital but now doctors have warned her parents Sammi Ramsey and Michael Mason that she will need a transplant soon.

The pair are now going through screening in the hope that one of them could donate their kidney.

“We are blood group matches, which is the main thing, and now we are going for tissue typing,” Miss Ramsey said.

“Hopefully, one of us will be able to donate.”

Mia was very poorly after she was born and initially her parents were told she could die within six months.

She was transferred to Leeds Children’s Hospital and has been undergoing intense treatment at the renal unit ever since, including at one stage visiting six times a week. Now the youngster is being prepared to start dialysis, which will mean attending hospital three times a week, but in the longer term she will need a kidney transplant.

Her mother, who also has 15-month-old Harry, added: “Within 12 months, hopefully she will have had the transplant.

“If we don’t do this, it’s not worth thinking about.

“We just have to get on with things.”

Mia has inspired her family and friends to raise more than £6,000 so far for the hospital where she is treated.

Fundraising so far has come from a coffee morning, Northern Soul nights and Leeds Half Marathon.

Mia’s grandmother’s partner Glyn Harland is also taking part in the Great North Swim and a team are doing Knaresborough Bed Race, both next month.

People can make donations to help Mia by visiting www.justgiving.com/glyn-harland or www.justgiving.com/Skylarksbedrace on the internet.