interesting theory about PSC

[Guest guest]

I'm geography-impaired and don't know where Southport is, other than

in the UK. But the most interesting thing here (to me) was that the

father/doctor thinks it's from Agent Orange exposure.

'Please help our son'

By Nason, Southport Visiter

A SOUTHPORT family is desperately raising funds to help their

teenage son who is suffering from a rare, terminal disease.

Amar Badsha, 17, was diagnosed in January with Primary Sclerosing

Cholangitis (PSC), a chronic progressive liver disease for which

there is no cure.

His condition, which is aggravated by ulcerative colitis, is

degenerating at an advanced rate.

Within the next year, Amar will need a liver transplant.

However, this will simply prolong his life. It is not known what

causes the disease but his father Dr Karter Badsha believes his

son's condition is the result of his own exposure to the herbicide

Agent Orange, which affected hundreds of Vietnam war veterans, while

growing up in Malaysia.

Ironically, Dr Badsha has helped thousands of people suffering

environmental diseases free of charge through his position as a

freelance consultant toxicologist.

His wife Satwant, 43, has run the Environ-mental Law Centre charity,

which promotes legal and medical services to people from

environmental conditions, since the early 1990s.

Dr Badsha, 54, of Part Street, said: " I've spent the past 30 years

helping people with environmental diseases but now I don't even know

how to help my own son.

" I thought I'd seen everything. But until Amar's diagnosis I'd never

even heard of PSC - now it gives me nightmares.. "

Amar, a KGV student, first began feeling unwell with chronic fatigue

last summer.

His symptoms progressively worsened until a liver biopsy revealed he

was suffering from PSC.

But he remains stoic, continuing his studies from home and attending

college when he can.

He still has ambitions to become a lawyer and plans to attend

university.

Satwant said: " I don't know how he'll cope with university but we'll

worry about that at the time.

" He is fully aware of the implications, but sees PSC as something he

simply has to get on with - he says he doesn't see the point in

letting it get him down.

" He think's that as there's nothing much he can do about it in the

long term, he may as well remain positive.

" It is difficult. It's a case of managing the condition, he's on a

huge amount of medication.

" Some days he just can't get out of bed. He can also be in a lot of

pain with the ulcerative colitis, which is linked to the disease.

" Although the doctors say he probably won't need a liver transplant

for a year, his condition could change over night. Nobody really

knows.

" But he is looking forward to the future and has started driving

lessons and will be taking his A-Levels in the summer. "

As the number of organ donors in the UK has dropped, Amar's parents,

along with brother Jatatha, 16, and sister Kasmindar, 15, are now

raising money for him to have a liver transplant abroad when the

time comes.

The pair are also in the process of setting up a trust fund and

supporting website to raise money for research into the disease.

They have set an initial fundraising target of £100,000.

* If you would like to donate money for research to help Amar and

other sufferers, send cheques, payable to PSC Trust, c/o

Nason, Southport Visiter, 28-32 Tulketh Street, Southport PR8 1BT.

For more details log on to the website: www.psctrust.com, which will

be up and running next week.

* The couple are also seeking fundraising advice. If you can help, e-

mail your contact details to info@...