A family from Co Down has issued an urgent plea for help after their son was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease thousands of miles from home.
Alan McDonald, 32, is preparing for treatment for the Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), a condition that causes blood clots to form in blood vessels, blocking blood flow to important organs.
Originally from Newcastle, he has lived in New Zealand for the last three years and his family need to pay for treatment to stabilise him before he can be brought home safely.