A BRAVE Newport teenager is facing an anxious wait for a donor so she can undergo a much-needed kidney transplant.

Sahibaa Ali, 15, only has one kidney and has been on the transplant list since July.

She has been on dialysis since May 2007 and currently has to travel to the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff to undergo three hours of dialysis three times a week.

This means she can only do a half day at school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and has dialysis in the afternoons.

Kidney matches tend to be better from people from the same ethnic group and according to Kidney Wales, black and Asian people typically have to wait three times as long for a transplant as white people.

Sahibaa's mother Nazran Ali said: "It's urgent because they don't want to keep her on dialysis long term, as soon as a donor is found, they're going to put it in as soon as possible."

There is also a shortage of donors from these ethnic groups and Mrs Ali said this can be down to a cultural difference.

"In our culture, you don't give things like a part of your body," she said.

She added that she would like to see more people donating to help, but didn't mind where a kidney for Sahibaa comes from.

Sahibaa said: "It would make a big difference and means I wouldn't have to go to the hospital and no more dialysis and I could go to school more and see my friends."

Sahibaa, of Archibald Street, has been in and out of hospital since she was born and has been treated at Bristol Childrens' Hospital and Great Ormond Street.

Mrs Ali, 55, said her daughter can walk short distances, but needs a wheelchair for longer distances which make her tired.

Despite this, Sahibaa, a Lliswerry High School pupil, will be joining thousands of others to take part a Walk for Life on March 29 to raise money for Kidney Wales.

This will be her first attempt at the walk, and she hopes to get her family involved and raise as much money as possible.

  • Walks for Life are taking place all over Gwent on March 29, to get involved, or for more information, visit www.kidneywales.com, e-mail noel@kidneywales.com or call 02920 343940.