A teenager has been left incapacitated after selling one of his kidneys and developing an infection in the process of its removal.
The incident took place in China where 17-year-old Wang Shangkun decided to sell his kidney on the black market in order to be able to afford a new iPad and iPhone.
Obsessed with the idea he could make money out of his organ, the teen came into contact with a shady organ harvester who allegedly promised to sell his kidney for over $3,000.
Believing that he didn’t need one of his kidneys to live a normal life anyway, the then-17-year-old agreed to an illegal surgery.
As Shangkun told China Network Television, he underwent kidney removal in Hunan whereas the procedure was done by two local doctors.
After receiving the payment for his kidney, the teen reportedly spent the money on buying himself an iPhone and an iPad.
“When my son came home he had a laptop computer and an Apple phone. I asked him where all the money for that came from. When he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer he finally told us,” the teen’s mother said according to BBC News.
“He said, ‘Mum, I sold my kidney.’ When he told me I felt like the sky was crashing down on our family.”
Shortly after having his kidney removed, Shangkun developed an infection in the kidney he had kept. As the authorities believe, the infection was a result of the unsanitary operation and lack of treatment following the surgery.
After suffering from renal deficiency, the teen was left incapacitated, whereas he could be bedridden for the rest of his life.
While Shangkun is now already in his mid-twenties, he still has to undergo dialysis on a daily basis to filter out the toxins that his weakened kidney can’t manage without help.
Following the black-market trade, nine people, including the broker and the doctors, were charged over the incident. Meanwhile, Shangkun’s family reportedly received some $300,000 in compensation.
What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends. For more news and stories, follow us on Facebook!
Replaced!