Pediatric Kidney Transplant Patient Stories

Two young boys got more than just a new kidney from the Pediatric Transplant Center—they got a friend for life. During long hours of dialysis while on the wait list for a donated kidney, the families became close. Surprisingly, they received the good news on the same day. The families suspect the kidneys were from the same donor, bonding their boys for life.
Learn more about Ryan and Danyal >

Before Kaleb was born, an ultrasound revealed that his urethra was blocked, causing urine to inflate his bladder in a condition called fetal lower urinary tract obstruction, or LUTO. Using an innovative shunt treatment, doctors in the Fetal and Pregnancy Health Program restored the flow of fluid, which allowed him to survive to delivery. When Kaleb was 2, he received a kidney, donated by an altruistic stranger. Today, he is a thriving 3-year-old and chock-full of life.
Learn more about Kaleb’s story >

Reagan Sterling’s journey with chronic kidney disease began when she was just 7 years old. Since then, she has braved dialysis, surgery, and even a kidney transplant to battle a disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Now, at 19, Reagan is a happy college student. With the support of her family and the doctors at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, she proves that it is possible to truly live well with kidney disease.
Learn more about Reagan’s story >

One mother’s desperate Facebook post led another altruistic mother to give her kidney to a 2-year-old stranger. Today, the recipient, Kaleb Perry, is an energetic, thriving child, and his family and the donor’s family are friends, often getting together to celebrate life near their homes in Fresno.
Learn more about Kaleb’s story >

“Not everyone should be a donor, but anyone can be a donor,” says Christopher Castillo, who lost 150 pounds, almost half his body weight, in order to qualify to donate a kidney to his good friend’s daughter. Cyehnna, now 17, who received the donation three years ago, first met the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health kidney transplant team members when they went to Hawaii as part of an extraordinary outreach program that changed her life forever.
Learn more about Cyehnna’s story >