By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
At first glance, Pennsauken resident Sebastian Foster seems to be an average three-year-old boy. He enjoys playing outside, hanging out with his older siblings, and is completely obsessed with numbers, letters, and reading.
He’s also in dire need of a kidney transplant.
Even before Sebastian was born, his parents were aware that he had chronic kidney disease. Born with about 36 percent function in his kidneys, doctors originally estimated that Sebastian will most likely need a transplant at age 10. But Foster’s condition worsened; and the need for a new kidney came sooner than expected. What makes things even more difficult is that he’s in need of a donor with either O positive or O negative blood.
“We’ve been on the transplant waiting list a year this month,” says Beatriz, Sebastian’s mother. “It can be anywhere from one to three years to get a new kidney. With people waiting for a donor with O positive or O negative blood, they encounter the longest wait time.”
Currently Sebastian’s life revolves around medication and doctor’s visits. Beatriz explained that her son is dependent on multiple medications several times a day so that “his body can keep doing what it’s doing until he gets a transplant.” As the kidneys play a role in the body’s growth, Sebastian has had hormone shots to keep him on the growth chart. His energy levels and his appetite are often affected by the many procedures he undergoes.
“It’s a life in and out of the hospital,” adds Beatriz. “It’s just day by day. One little thing could set him over and into complete kidney failure.”
The family is in search of a donor, age 21 to 55, with either O positive or O negative blood. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, there are a few advantages of receiving a kidney donation from a live person. Particularly, the wait time for a transplant is shorter; and by eliminating the time between procurement and the transplant, the kidney works better in its new body.
“On the kidney transplant waiting list, there are 13,491 total people of all ages from our region,” says Beatriz. “Every day Sebastian remains on the transplant list, he is competing with 13,490 other people in hopes of being lucky enough to receive a kidney. His best hope of receiving a kidney is to receive it from someone who will volunteer to be a live donor.”
To inquire about being a donor for Sebastian, contact either Emily or Amy at CHOP at (215) 590-3913. There’s also a GoFundMe page, “Sebastian’s Kidney Transplant,” currently raising funds to help defray medical costs. To learn more about kidney transplants, visit https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/kidney-transplant-and-dialysis-program/live-donor-transplant. For additional information on Sebastian’s condition, visit https://www.facebook.com/sebastiansstory.
