Toddler’s kidney transplant delayed over father’s prison history

"We've been waiting so long for this."

A little boy born without a working kidney has had a life-changing transplant postponed as his father, the donor, was in prison for violating his parole. Two-year-old AJ Burgess from Atlanta was born a month early and spent the first ten months of his life in intensive care. He needs 24/7 care but was due to receive a kidney transplant this month. The toddler's father Anthony Dickerson was found to be a perfect match and was to donate one of his kidneys to his son after his release from prison. "He made it his business to say, 'Once I get out, I'm gonna promise to my son that he can get a kidney,'" AJ's mum Carmellia told CBS. The transplant will not go ahead as planned, however, as the hospital learned that Dickerson had been in prison for breaking the terms of his parole due to possession of a firearm. Atlanta's Emory Hospital had originally written to Gwinnett County Jail in September asking for Dickerson to be escorted to the hospital for a pre-surgery appointment on 28 September. He was released on 2 October in time for surgery the next day, but the hospital then put off the transplant. It asked for evidence that Dickerson had complied with his conditions of parole and said it will review the case again early next year. In a statement, Emory Hospital said it does not comment on individual cases but that transplants are organised to "maximize the chance of success for organ recipients and minimize risk for living donors." "He's been through a lot. It's like we've been waiting on this. And Dad making a mistake shouldn't affect what he wants to do with our son," Carmellia told local station WTSP. "They're making this about Dad," she continued. "It's about our 2-year-old son." "He don't deserve this. We've been waiting so long for this." The story does have a happy ending, however, as a number of people have come forward offering to donate kidneys. Atlanta's 11Alive news station was "flooded" with offers from members of the public who wanted to see if they'd be a suitable match after AJ's story was publicised. Carmellia said she was overwhelmed by the response. "I didn’t think a stranger would be like 'oh, let me just give him a kidney'. That’s a big decision, to give an organ," she said.