Mission: Lose 47kg to donate a kidney

Bobby Manu begins his weight-loss quest at Jetts Gym in Royal Oak, watched by youngest daughter Harmony, 3. Photo / Greg Bowker

A father of five is hitting the gym to lose 47kg so he can donate a kidney to his daughter.

Bobby Manu, 30, who weighs 137kg, has been told by doctors he must reach 90kg by September so he can donate a kidney to his daughter Michelle.

Michelle, who turns 12 next month, was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2007 and has dialysis every Thursday at Auckland's Starship hospital.

Mr Manu will be working daily with a personal trainer, and says he is ready for the challenge.

"I'm looking forward to doing something for my daughter. It's the only way we can."

Mr Manu's partner, Sisifa Samuela, says that since Michelle started haemodialysis - where her blood is cleaned by a machine - she has been wanting to come back to her active life.

"She's always smiling. She loves sports," says Ms Samuela.

"But since she was diagnosed with kidney failure, she's been scared to play around in case her lines come out, thinking something might happen and she'll end up in hospital again."

Ms Samuela said Michelle had great dreams for the future.

"She wants to be a nurse at Starship and to be a millionaire."

The Starship currently has 10 children waiting for kidneys.

The chief executive of Kidney Kids, Paul Norfolk, who is working with Michelle's family, said that over the past five years, the number of families the charity supported had risen from 750 to 1500.

Although Government funding for Kidney Kids has increased from $1800 to $15,000 since last year, Mr Norfolk relies on corporate sponsors and partnerships for the $500,000 a year needed to run the organisation.