A BOY with a very rare disease which causes his kidneys to fail has been selected to represent Team GB at the World Transplant Games in Argentina next year.

Lewis Brimble, 14, was amazed and delighted to be chosen to take part in the international sporting competition for people who have received organ transplants, based on his medal haul at this year’s national games in Bolton.

Diagnosed with MPGN Type 2 and kidney failure when he was just nine, Lewis has undergone five years of treatment with dialysis and a transplant with a kidney donated by his mother Su in 2011.

“I was already really sporty and one of the nurses at Southampton Hospital recommended I take part in the British games last year, and I loved it,” said Lewis, who lives in Southbourne with his proud mum and his 12-year-old sister Jaz.

“The atmosphere, competing with people, it is a really exciting event and it is also somewhere you can meet people who have been through the same things.”

MPGN Type 2 is extremely rare and Lewis is thought to be one of only 10 sufferers in the country.

His family helped set up charity mpgnddd.org.uk to help others dealing with the condition.

Not long after his transplant he underwent emergency bowel surgery which left him on life support after he reacted badly to drugs used in his treatment.

His new kidney is expected to fail one day due to his condition – for which there is no cure.

“Lewis didn’t have much of a life during his treatment, he couldn’t even eat, he missed more than a year of school,” said Su.

“He has done so well to get this.”

Although he sometimes gets out of breath easily, Lewis has competed at badminton, table tennis, the ball throw, the 100m and long jump.

He has also recently achieved gold, silver and bronze medals at the UK games, which he attended this year thanks to donations from LV= and the Rotary Club of Boscombe and Southbourne.

He also enjoys bowls at Knyveton Gardens, cricket with Bournemouth Cricket Club and playing the piano. He is studying at Bournemouth School and hopes to become a doctor.

Lewis’ family have appealed for help to get them to Argentina for next year’s games and have set up a donations page at www.justgiving.com/lewistransplant