BROTHERLY love goes a long way.
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In the case of 26-year-old Rowell Flores, he has travelled from the Philippines to donate a kidney to his older brother Rex, who is now a resident of Wagga.
The transplant has been scheduled for December 2 in Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Rex Flores, 30, was struck down by an infection about 18 months ago.
The infection damaged his kidneys irreparably and he undergoes dialysis four times times a week at the Wagga renal dialysis unit.
With no Medicare benefits available to Mr Flores, the Wagga Rotary Club stepped in to help make the transplant operation possible.
With support from the community, the club has brought Rowell and his mother Yolanda to Australia and will cover out-of-pocket expenses for the transplant.
Rowell and Mrs Flores on Tuesday sat with Rex during his four-and-a-half hours of dialysis.
Rowell said it was an easy decision to donate a kidney to his brother, but at the same time he had been nervous about undergoing his first major operation.
"But when I met the surgeons all the nervousness was gone," Rowell said.
Rex's family is extremely grateful to the Rotary Club of Wagga and its supporters.
"Thank God for this man (Wagga Rotary community services committee chairman Graeme Callander) and the Rotary club," Rowell said.
Mr Callander has been blown away by support for the project.
"The Minister for Health Jillian Skinner authorised a very good accommodation package for the family, who didn't qualify for the Isolated Patients Assistance Scheme," Mr Callander said.
"Regional Express generously donated four flights between Wagga and Sydney.
"The Kooringal Rotary Club has donated $1000 and an individual has donated $5000.
"Whoever has been asked to help has come up with the goods."
Mr Callander said post operation Rex would have to pay $1000 a month for anti-rejection drugs not covered by insurance, Medicare or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.