NORTH AUGUSTA, SC. () – A local family needs your help after one of their 9-month-old twins was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease.
“They inserted a dialysis catheter into him when he was just about two days old. Thankfully, it was eventually removed, and he hasn’t needed dialysis so far. However, we have reached a stage where he will need a transplant to survive,” explained his mother, Auburn Johnson.
Theo Johnson, who is only 9 months old, suffers from a rare condition known as Posterior Urethral Valves and is in need of a kidney for a transplant. Unfortunately, his mother, Auburn, cannot be a donor due to having been diagnosed with Pre-Eclampsia before his birth. The family has lost count of the number of surgeries he has undergone since he was born.
“We initially had a misdiagnosis, which left us completely unprepared when he arrived. We had just started to breathe easy, thinking everything would be fine, and then, out of nowhere, we found ourselves in a situation we never anticipated,” said Johnson.
Theo was only able to spend one day with his twin brother before he was sent to the NICU for 41 days and was unable to meet his older sister Aria until he was released.
“They were in separate incubators, and we just asked before he was transferred if they could just be together for a little while, and I’m so glad we did because we had no idea how long he was going to be in the hospital,” said Johnson.
He is about to start growth hormones so his body can fit an adult kidney. He is also in physical therapy and has less than 10 percent kidney function.
“Every week when we get labs done, it’s a waiting game. Is he going to have to start dialysis this time?” said Johnson.
He has already defied the odds by not needing dialysis, which the doctors expected initially.
“He defied odds being here, has defied odds through every procedure. He’s never come out of any surgery without being who he is right now, I mean he is just the most resilient,” said Marcus Johnson, Father.
They are looking for someone with either O-positive or O-negative blood, and are thankful for all the doctors and nurses who have helped them through this time.
If you can help Theo, find a donor, contact their transplant coordinator, Kate Hefner, at 706-721-3773 or Kathryn.hefner@wellstar.org. If you want to keep up with him, you can find him on their Facebook page.
