THE grandmother of a four-year-old boy with chronic kidney disease is urging others to talk about organ donation on World Kidney Day.

Harry Shelford, from Newton-le-Willows, needs a kidney transplant.

He was only six days old when his mum Natalie Thomas was given the news that her tiny baby had a rare form of chronic disease.

After spending most of his life in Alder Hey Children's Hospital, taking more than 20 medications each day alongside injections, his family were told in June that their "happy boy" is on the organ donor waiting list.

That means that Harry is currently one of 4,800 people in the UK who is waiting for a kidney transplant.

He now attends St Mary's Catholic Infant School but his grandmother Diane Parkinson, 48 and mum Natalie, 24, are sharing Harry's story with the aim getting more awareness of the disease on World Kidney Day, today, Thursday, March 12 and raise awareness of organ donation.

Diane, who works at Home Bargains, said: "Nine months ago we were told Haryr would be put on the transplant list and we are still waiting for that lifesaving call.

"Harry suffers from seven different conditions as part of his chronic kidney disease, his little legs hurt all the time and he is fed by a tube and is exhausted so easily.

"But he plods on and is doing so well, but still every day we wait for news.

"Not enough gets said about the affects of kidney disease so we thought it would be good to raise this on World Kidney Day.

"We now are desperately waiting for a donor to give Harry their kidney.

"We know that a person will have died for Harry to live, but organ donors are the bravest people out there and are inspirations to give the gift of life to someone else.

"We were so inspired by Violet-Grace's Youens family, the fact she was the same age as Harry is now but her family made that decision to have her organs help others is amazing and we think of her daily.

"Harry is just a normal four-year-old boy, he wants to play but he gets tired and can't walk loads or his legs get achy.

"That's why its important to speak about things on awareness days, it really does affect lives of those with conditions and those who love them."

To sign the organ donor register go to organdonation.nhs.uk