Renal patient Chris Bartolo is today expected to undergo an eight-hour long kidney transplant that could drastically improve his quality of life, two years after Times of Malta first reported his desperate appeal.

The donor – a family friend who prefers to remain anonymous – would himself need to have a major four-hour operation, explained Mr Bartolo’s former partner, Sarah Borg.

Ms Borg was overjoyed that a kidney match for Mr Bartolo – the father of her son, Zac – has finally been found.

She first drew the nation’s attention to his situation in 2012 when she posted an advert on an online shopping website, Malta Park, requesting a kidney for him. The appeal drew national attention, as well as controversy on the ethical issues of such appeals.

“I hope the transplant will happen and nothing goes wrong at the last minute. I’m hoping and praying it will be a successful operation and that his body will not reject the kidney. It’s basically wait-and-see at this point,” Ms Borg said.

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