Henry was just four years old when he was flown to the UK for an urgent kidney transplant.

Born with a rare condition, he was already used to going abroad for medical treatment. But this time was different: the procedure was critical, and the donor was his own father.  

“They might have said that I was almost going to die,” recalls young Henry, now six. “But after all, daddy saved my life.”

Henry and his father were kept at two separate London hospitals for the delicate procedure, with the kidney ferried from one to the other via a specially-equipped organ ambulance.

Although the transplant went smoothly, the family then found itself with another challenge to contend with. As all this was happening, Henry’s mother Lorinda was diagnosed with cancer.

The family would not have been able to finance all the related care and accommodation costs without the help of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, which continues to help Henry and his family as he is taken abroad for further treatment.  

Henry is one the flagbearers for the 2019 edition of annual charity telethon L-Istrina, which on Boxing Day will be raising money to help the MCCFF.

L-Istrina will begin on Thursday at noon on TVM, Net TV, One TV and all other major stations.