ATLANTA (WGCL/CNN) - The father of a 2-year-old boy who desperately needs a kidney transplant is a perfect match and wants to donate.
The hospital said it would not do the operation until the dad has proven he can stay out of jail.
AJ Burgess was born a month early and without a working kidney, spending the first 10 months of his life in a neonatal intensive care unit. He weighs only 25 pounds, can't walk and is fed intravenously.
He's hooked up to dialysis every day. His father, Anthony Dickerson, was tested and proved to be the perfect match to give his son a kidney but was in prison for violating his probation on weapons charges.
"He made it his business to say, 'Once I get out, I'm going to promise to my son that he can get a kidney,'" said AJ's mother, Carmella Burgess.
Dickerson got out of prison, was set to go through pre-op procedures and donate his kidney Oct. 3. But he was sent to jail again for violating his probation.
When he got out, he was told he would have to wait to donate.
"The lady was like, 'We need your parole information and your probation info. He was like, 'What does that have to do with anything?'" Carmella Burgess said. "She was like, 'We need you to be on good behavior for three to four months before you can give your son the kidney, and January 2018 we will think about re-evaluating you."
January may be too late - AJ's body is starting to fail, he needs bladder surgery and his dialysis "lifelines" are falling out.
His mother hopes a petition she set up online will bring awareness to his plight and help save his life.
"He's been through so much for a 2-year-old," Carmella Burgess said.
Emory Hospital issued a statement, saying it is following transplant guidelines. Officials would not discuss AJ's case, citing privacy concerns.
Copyright 2017 WGCL via CNN. All rights reserved.
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