Aidyn was diagnosed with enlarged kidneys at 26 weeks in utero and was rushed into surgery after being induced at 36 weeks. At four months old, Aidyn was put on peritoneal dialysis for 12 hours every night before upgrading to hemodialysis treatment to remove the toxins and waste his kidneys could not.
After approximately 350 days of dialysis, 972 hours, 32,900km, $1320.00 in parking, and $10,000.00 in gas, Aidyn was finally placed on the transplant list. Via Facebook, Danielle and Aidyn were introduced to Shelly Hunt, Co-Founder of the Because I Can Project, a potential donor. Shelly had already begun the process to be an anonymous living kidney donor when she met Aidyn and his family but decided to donate to Aidyn, who was the same age as her son.
After discovering that Shelly was not a match for Aidyn, the pair decided to enter the “Living Donor Paired Exchange Program.” Through this program, those who wish to donate but are not a match for their candidate can donate their organs to another pair and vice versa. In October 2014, Shelly underwent surgery to donate her kidney, and Aidyn received one from another selfless individual in the Living Donor Paired Exchange Program. The David Foster Foundation financially supported Aidyn’s family during his two years on the transplant list so his mother could stay by his side.
Today, Aidyn gets to experience life alongside his brothers and sisters away from daily hospital trips. Danielle, Aidyn’s mom, says that “Aidyn is doing amazing, and this is only because of the transplant he received! He loves to be outdoors playing hockey, soccer, tossing a football or baseball around. He also loves camping and going on family adventures.”
Read Aidyn’s story in the David Foster Foundation newsletter:
