Desperate Plea for Living Kidney Donor from South Asian Community

Amrit Paul, a 24-year-old software sales professional, is making a heartfelt appeal for a living kidney donor from the South Asian community after enduring nearly five years of waiting for a transplant. Diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at the age of four, Amrit has spent countless nights undergoing peritoneal dialysis, a process that cleanses his blood when his kidneys fail. His journey took a devastating turn while preparing for his computer science exams when he learned from doctors that he would need a kidney transplant.

Amrit's situation highlights a growing concern in the United Kingdom, where the NHS Blood and Transplant organization reported a record number of individuals awaiting life-saving organ transplants. As of March 31, 2025, over 8,000 patients were on the active transplant waiting list, with more than 1,300 located in London alone. This reflects the highest number ever recorded in the UK, exacerbated by a decline in the number of deceased organ donors, which fell to 130 last year in London, down from 154 the previous year.

The Paul family, particularly Amrit's mother, Jatinder Paul, is leading a campaign to raise awareness about the urgent need for a living donor. Their poster poignantly reads: "Please, help us find an angel for Amrit." Jatinder expressed her frustration that neither she nor other family members could donate due to health issues, prompting them to reach out to the broader community for support.

Dr. Rhys Evans, the clinical lead for kidney transplantation at Royal Free London, noted that ethnicity plays a significant role in the availability of compatible donors. For patients like Amrit, who has blood group B—a type more prevalent among South Asian and Black ethnic groups—the wait can be significantly longer due to a shortage of matching donors from these communities. "Unfortunately, for patients like Amrit, it often means a longer wait because there are fewer donors from those communities," he stated.

Fiona Loud, policy director at the charity Kidney Care UK, emphasized the importance of increasing awareness and conversation within ethnic minority communities regarding organ donation. She stated, "Sadly, every day at least one person dies waiting for a transplant. This has to change. People from Black and South Asian communities are more likely to need a donor from the same background 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."

Amid the dire statistics, Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, called for urgent action to modernize the Organ Donor Register and improve public understanding of the law surrounding organ donation. "We are facing an incredibly concerning situation. More people than ever are waiting for transplants, but fewer donations are taking place," he remarked.

Despite the challenges, Amrit and his family remain hopeful. They are committed to spreading awareness about the need for a living donor and are determined to find a match. Jatinder concluded, "He's focused on living a normal life, and that’s what gives us the strength to keep going as a unit." This poignant appeal underscores the urgent need for increased organ donation awareness, particularly within underrepresented communities, to help save lives like Amrit's.