Rahmat’s mother, Faye, found out Rahmat needed a kidney transplant in early 2018. Rahmat was only 11 years old at the time and had been diagnosed with nephronophthisis (a genetic disorder the affects children and causes kidney failure). Faye underwent the screening process to see if she could be Rahmat’s living kidney donor and thankfully, she was a match. The transplant was scheduled for early February, and the close-knit family of five waited for the day anxiously. Unfortunately, Rahmat got sick with a virus before the transplant and the surgeries had to be rescheduled for March. Once again, the family was left waiting for the day. On March 8th, International Women’s Day, Rahmat and Faye went into surgery at Toronto SickKids. Rahmat received one of Faye’s kidneys after two successful surgeries. On March 21st, Rahmat was discharged from the hospital and over the past year, he has continued to recover well.

At the end of 2018, Rahmat said that “this transplant gives me a way of seeing how a miracle is in my life. I am very thankful to experience such a big thing in life and now be able to live healthily and do all the sports and activities that I used not be able to do.  Because of this transplant, I am playing basketball, Indiana Jones in the gym, and running races with all my friends.”

Now, every International Woman’s Day Rahmat remembers and honours his mother for the gift of life that she gave to him.