Phil Robinson wasn't able to play football with his son for about six months.
The 39-year-old is suffering from kidney failure and has no option but to undergo a kidney transplant.
Phil is one of around 90 people in Northern Ireland waiting for a kidney transplant.
“It's devastating to think that an organ can be lost, stop functioning and have to be replaced,” he told BBC News NI.
He said he has had to adapt to the idea that “you can't treat it in the hospital,” and doctors have told him there is no treatment that would “exponentially increase kidney use.”
Phil takes daily tablets, gives himself injections and is on a special diet to control his symptoms, and also attends renal ward between work and being a father to his son Rex.
“I spend a lot of time with Rex and I quickly learned that with kidney failure he would get fatigued very quickly,” he said.
“With an 8-year-old who is normally out riding his bike and running around, there is only so much time he can spend outside so I try to use the time wisely to get my child outside but I have to be careful that he doesn't overdo it and get sick.”
Eight-year-old Rex also knows that his dad isn't feeling well and that they can't play tennis or soccer together, but they can still play on the Xbox.
He also knows what will help his dad recover.
“Eat healthy food, don't eat unhealthy food and take your medicine every day,” he said.
“And then finding a donor. So if you're on the donor list and you can find a donor, you can have the transplant and then you can get a kidney.”
Dr Aisling Courtney, transplant consultant at Belfast City Hospital's Transplant Centre, said there were two ways in which kidneys became available.
“By people who pass away and want to donate their organs, or by people who are healthy and want to donate their spare kidney to someone else,” she said.
“When it comes to certainty that the kidney will function, that certainty usually comes from a living donor.”
Around 600 people have received living donor kidney transplants in Northern Ireland over the past decade.
Dr. Courtney likens the kidney donation process to buying a used car.
“If you buy it from a reputable source, it will definitely work. It's the same as getting a kidney from a living donor,” she said.
“Receiving a kidney from a deceased donor is like buying a kidney from someone selling used cars.
“It may say that this car has had one well-loved female owner, and that may be true. Or it may have done a lot of mileage that we don't know about.”
“A wonderful gift”
Living donors can also decide to donate their kidney to another person, a process known as altruistic donation.
Dr Courtney added: “Over the last 10 years we've had 66 people who have suddenly come forward and said they'd be happy to donate a kidney to someone else.”
“This is a very special group. They don't understand the benefit of a transplant for their loved one, they don't understand the impact of the incredible gift they've given. But even though they've never seen or known that person, they're willing to do a transplant to change a life and they know they did it.”
As Phil's kidney function continues to decline, he will soon require dialysis, which means he will be hooked up to a machine for 15 hours a week to help his kidneys work.
He hopes there is a suitable kidney available somewhere that could help him get back on the football pitch.
He added: “A kidney transplant is the best outcome.”
“We have a high success rate, particularly at Belfast City Hospital, they are fantastic and we want to get involved with Rex rather than just stand there and watch.”
