HIS mum gave him the gift of life more than 30 years ago and now she has done it again.

When Lee Morgan went to the doctor with what he believed was a migraine he had the devastating news he was suffering with kidney failure.

It was then down to his mum Karen Portt who saved his life by donating a kidney.

Now one year after the operation, the father-of-two and his mum have both made a full recovery and Lee wants to paid tribute to his mum for having given him the gift of life twice.

It was in 2014 that Lee found out that the function of one of his kidney was only 14% and he was given two options to survive: spend the rest of his life on dialysis or a transplant.

The 33-year-old from Thornhill was considering dialysis when his mum Karen was told she was the best match for a transplant.

Without hesitation the 56-year-old sale assistant from Thornhill decided to save her son’s life.

She said: “When I knew I could give him the gift of life again I was over the moon. I have done what every mum would do.”

Karen and Lee both underwent a three-hours surgery at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth on February 23, 2016.

“I’ve never doubted about what to do. After the operation Lee was back to life instantly and that made me feel happy.”

According to the Kidney Research UK, up to 3,300 people in the country people have kidney transplants. It is estimated that those suffering with kidney disease have to wait at least two to three years before receiving a new kidney due to a huge waiting list and a shortage of donor organs.

Although Lee was lucky and he only had to wait a bit more than a year, he still did not want his mum to undergo operation.

“When I found out mum was the best match I didn’t really like it because I didn’t want to harm her and I was thinking to do dialysis but she told me I had to let her do it,” he said.

Kidney transplant is indeed the treatment of choice for kidney failure whenever possible, since dialysis mean people having to undertake treatments for several times, three or four days a week, and Karen did not want Lee to go through this.

Lee said: “Before my operation I was nervous for my mum not for myself. She is my hero now. She saved my life and she’ll always be my hero."

Lee and Karen still have to see the doctor regularly and Lee said: "If I am lucky this kidney can last forever or I may have to have another transplant. You never know.

“This experience made me realise I’m not invincible but it also made me appreciate things that are really important for me.”

Before having the operation and few months after, Lee was working as a taxi driver in Eastleigh but he realised that it was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

“After the operation I was confused but I also felt I had a new life,” he said.

The experience made Lee decide to become a care worker to support people at home and he will start his new job soon.

“I did this job more than 10 years ago but then I thought I couldn’t do it anymore because I felt I couldn’t support people. But after what I had been through I realised this was my calling.

"If I don’t do it I won’t be honouring the gift I had.”

Lee’s sister, Gemma Morgan, 29, a housewife from Thornhill, said: “I was scared to lose him and seeing that he is healthier makes me feel happy again. I have him back again now.”

“I’m 100% proud of him and of my mum. They are very strong people and they inspired me to be strong too.”