Donations help kidney girl start school

Peter Randall advertised his kidney on auction website eBay four months ago in a bid to raise £100,000 to send six-year-old Alice to Ingfield Manor School in Five Oaks, near Billingshurst.

Mr Randall, 50, had offers from three potential buyers and was ready to fly to America to strike a deal.

But as Alice's plight touched the nation's hearts, donations flooded in, securing her a place at the school.

Alice, who has cerebral palsy, started last Wednesday and is settling in well. She is a boarder from Monday to Friday and spends weekends with her parents in Kent.

But the £57,000 raised is just the first step as it will only cover costs at the school for one year.

Mr Randall is still considering selling his kidney to raise a similar amount needed for Alice's second year and another £25,000 if she needs a third year.

He said: "Alice is really enjoying it at the school. We had a call after her first day and were told she had only asked for her mummy once.

"I'm still thinking of selling my kidney. This issue is currently on the back burner but it's still an option open to me.

"Obviously we can't guarantee the rest of the money will be raised through charity. There's only so many times you can ask and only so much people can give.

"I don't think it's a brave thing to give your kidney to help your child. It's horrible and frightening but that doesn't matter. I just want to help my little girl."

Alice's mother Jennifer said: "Alice is having a brilliant time and has made lots of friends.

"There were no tears when we dropped her off for the start of her first full week at the school.

"As parents, we're absolutely delighted and over the moon she has got into this school.

"We've been fighting Kent County Council and the Local Education Authority for two years over this.

"But it's only thanks to people's kindness and generosity that Alice is where she is today."

Alice's plight hit the headlines last December when Mr Randall, an engineer, put his kidney on eBay with a reserve price of £50,000.

He and his wife, a beauty therapy lecturer, had already spent about £30,000 getting treatment for Alice which helped her develop movement in her arms and legs.

After the success of the therapy, known as conductive education, the couple were desperate to do more for their daughter but ran out of money.

They were particularly keen on Ingfield Manor as its pioneering treatment methods could help their daughter walk.

Mr Randall's eBay advert could not be seen in the UK because selling organs here is illegal but it was on show in America and the Far East.

It described Mr Randall as a "non-smoking male who drinks only socially and who is in good health".

He received three serious offers from the United States of £80,000, £87,000 and £92,000.

But before Mr Randall had to go under the knife, a Kent-based cerebral palsy charity came to the rescue, giving the Randalls £30,000 and some much-needed breathing space.

Other donations came from members of the public who read about the Randalls.

Mr Randall said he was eternally grateful to those who had given money to help Alice but criticised the authorities.

He said: "I have tremendously mixed emotions at the moment.

"I feel elation that Alice is finally at the school.

"Waving goodbye to her at the school gate was like coming off a roller coaster that you didn't want to get on in the first place.

"I feel very, very let down and cheated by the whole system. And I'm still very angry. This should be about the child but it's about money."

Mr Randall said the couple had spent about £15,000 in courts fighting to get his daughter the best treatment, only to be told Alice should go to an ordinary school.

He is now considering taking the issue to the European Court Of Human Rights to spare other parents a similar experience.

To help pay towards Alice's treatment, send a cheque, payable to Fund For Alice NGN Ltd to the NI Treasury Department, Fleet House, Cygnet Park, Hampton, Peterborough, PE7 8FD.