Three friends of renal patient Chris Bartolo are having tests to determine whether they are compatible to donate one of their kidneys to him.

We are waiting and praying... My hopes are high

“We are waiting and praying… My hopes are high,” said Mr Bartolo’s former partner Sarah Borg, who launched a campaign geared at finding a kidney for the father of her 11-year-old son, Zac.

Ms Borg said that over the past months five friends and relatives had undergone tests to establish compatibility.

So far, two have been ruled out since their blood type did not match.

The other three were doing more extensive tests and, if found compatible, would undergo a psychological examination before the final round of tests on their kidneys, Ms Borg explained.

One of the three (two friends and a distant relative) was willing to donate his kidney to a stranger if not compatible with Mr Bartolo, she said.

In April, The Times reported that 14 people had offered to donate a kidney to any renal patient in need since March 12 when, following the Bartolo case, the hospital urged people interested in donating a kidney to approach the renal unit.

Some of them never turned up for testing and others had to back out for various reasons, a Health Ministry spokesman said. The number of Samaritan donors willing to donate to a stranger now stands at six.

There were another two donors who wished to donate to a particular person, the spokesman said without revealing names.

The fact that tests are ongoing is great news to Ms Borg after Mater Dei Hospital’s Live Organ Transplant Advisory Committee had not allowed 20 potential donors to even start the screening process.

The 20 donors did not know Mr Bartolo but offered to donate their kidney to him after hearing his story in the media.

The issue of organ donation sprang to the public’s attention in February when Ms Borg placed an advert asking for a kidney for him.

She offered €5,000 to cover medical and other expenses incurred, stressing that she was not trying to buy an organ. An ethical controversy began over whether money should be accepted.

The advisory committee had decided this would go against the principle of “distributive justice” adopted when anonymous people, who are complete strangers to the patient, offer to be donors. In such cases the kidney should go to the person most in need. The three new candidates undergoing tests know Mr Bartolo, so the screening could go ahead.

About 250 people are undergoing treatment at the renal unit and 70 are awaiting a transplant.