Funds Needed For Boy's Kidney Transplant
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A number of inter-faith groups are coming together to help save the life of a five-year-old boy.
Omar Ahmed was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. His family has no insurance, and they've traveled from Egypt to Minnesota looking for help with the cost of treatment.
One look at Omar and it's hard to tell that he's in such dire need.
He was diagnosed with end stage-renal disease when he was three. Both his kidneys failed, forcing his family to travel from their home in Egypt to the United States in hopes of saving Omar's life.
His father, Hesham Hassan, says his son has been through an extraordinary amount in just two years.
"He's passed a lot of hospitals and physicians, and thousands of lab tests and hundreds of examinations," Hassan said.
Doctors say the longer Omar is on dialysis, the harder it is for his little body. They're concerned his illness could lead to problems with his heart.
He's had more than 10 surgeries, and his father hopes the next one will be the one that saves his life.
"Our life is suspended," he said.
Hassan says his family is in a holding pattern. They are staying at the Ronald McDonald House until they can raise enough funds to pay for the transplant.
So far, people from across the globe have donated, trying to reach that $250,000 goal.
"I have more than one-thousand heroes," he said.
Noor Siddiqui of Muslin Health Professionals of Minnesota says the support that the Hassan family has seen crosses religious and cultural boundaries.
"These are people of a complete different religion. They don't know us, they don't know him, we don't know them. But they have been sending prayers, they have been donating," Siddiqui said.
A benefit dinner was held Saturday night, where people from the health care and faith communities came together to give Omar a fighting chance.
The Hassans have been in the U.S. since November. Hesham Hassan says doctors are surprised that Omar is as active as he is.
His time is running out.
If you would like to donate to Omar's fund, click here to visit the Children's Transplant Association online.
