Alonzo Mourning helps toddler needing transplant

MIAMI (AP) -- Miami Heat All Star Alonzo Mourning is calling on South Floridians to help a toddler get a lifesaving kidney transplant.

Mourning knows what it's like -- he needed a kidney transplant himself five years ago.

Three-year-old Omar Ferguson and his mother came to Miami from the Bahamas two months ago to get medical help. The boy has liver failure and doctors say he may not live until Christmas. But since he's not a U.S. citizen, Omar isn't automatically covered by the publicly funded Holtz Children's Hospital.

The basketball star has donated $50,000 toward the boy's operation. He says if 25,000 people gave just $10 each, the remaining cost would be covered.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)