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Father, Son Both In Urgent Need Of Kidney Transplant

CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - A Westchester County family is praying two miracles as a father and son are battling kidney disease and both are in desperate need of transplants.

James Cancro Sr. and his 20-year-old son, Jimmy, have a lot in common, reports CBS2's Meg Baker.

They both love the New York Yankees, take family vacations together and, unfortunately, share the same genetic kidney disease that causes their kidneys to fail.

Concro Sr., a 26-year veteran of the Fairview Fire Department, was forced to retire because of his failing health.

He says he truly misses being a first responder.

About two years ago I went to the doctor, and he finally said it was time for dialysis. I had to give up being a fireman. I was freman for the Town of Greenberg for 26 years, so I retired, and I'm looking for an O-negative kidney."

The Cortlandt Manor resident already had one kidney transplant rejected.

His son Jimmy had to withdraw from his sophomore year at SUNY New Paltz. He has to hook himself up to a dialysis machine every night for nine hours.

"I really need a kidney so I can go back and do everything I want to do at school," he said.

Jimmy hopes to become a biology teacher. He calls his mom the rock of the family as she works full time, takes them to appointments and tries to keep a sense of normalcy for her two other children, ages 12 and 17.

"I hate to say it's not fair, but it's not fair," mom Lisa Cancro said. "My son was very much involved in Scouts, even from Cub Scout years all the way through to an Eagle Scout, again helping the community, doing projects in the community wether it was a clean-up day or just volunteering in other ways."

MORE: Family Takes Search For Kidney To Disneyland

They are both on a transplant list but hope for a living donor.

"Someone who maybe really wants to make difference, or save a life," said Lisa. "I know people out there that want to do something like this."

Lisa says her husband and son are fortunate enough to be alive thanks to dialysis, but a transplant would greatly improve their quality of life.

To help, contact the Westchester Medical Center's transplant coordinator at 914-493-7864, or see their website at WestchesterMedicalCenter.com/transplant or see DonateLife.net/register.

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