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Tongan rugby player trapped in Romania on dialysis faces death if he returns home

Sione Vaiamounga is trapped in Romania with kidney failure because his home, Tonga, has no dialysis facilities.

A Tongan rugby player living his dream of playing in Europe has found himself trapped in Romania with his life dependent on dialysis.

Just one year into his rugby contract, the former Tongan national flanker Sione Vaiamounga developed kidney failure.

To make things worse, Vaiamounga now finds himself stuck in the city of Baia Mare because his home country of Tonga has no dialysis facilities, which he needs constant access to in order to stay alive.

"I didn't know what dialysis is. I thought after dialysis I get better, I go back to play and they give me back to normal," Vaiamounga said. 

"After that I find out, I have to, if I don't have a transplant, do it for the rest of my life."

His wife and son have joined him in Romonia and together they've had another son.

But with no visa to work, home is a tiny one room flat and he's dependent on food banks and hand outs while he waits for a kidney donor. 

A online donation fund has been set up to help with the Vaiamounga's living expenses in Romanian.

The family's visas run out next month but they're hopeful they'll be able to get a one-year extension because Vaiamounga's life depends on the facilities at the local hospital where he gets dialysis three times a week.

Vaiamounga will need to continue to do this until he gets a kidney transplant.

But all kidney transplants in the area are currently on hold and the family is now hoping New Zealand can help.

Daniel Leo of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare said it may not be so easy.

"They can't go to New Zealand for dialysis unless they're approved by the New Zealand government and there's a waiting list. And there are people in New Zealand who are on a waiting list themselves," Leo said.

With the fragility of Vaiamounga's life confronting him everday, his longing for the familiarity of Tonga grows.

"Every year I want to play that match, but now I have my own match to play," Vaiamounga says.

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