Since Hank was 10 days old, he has needed a machine to do the work of his kidneys.

A simple explanation of the function of the kidneys is that they filter blood and remove waste.

Here is a basic visual of how it works: 

Photo Credit: National Library of Medicine

Unfortunately, Hank’s kidneys didn’t work at all, and he needed medical intervention to do the work for him. 

Thanks to Willem Kolff, a Dutch physician who constructed the first dialyzer (artificial kidney) in 1943, and the scientists who came after him, Hank has a machine to do the work of his kidneys.

It’s a laborious process that Anika and Rob needed to learn in order to bring Hank home from the hospital when he was 4 months old. They have been performing dialysis daily for Hank to keep him healthy.

How does it work?

From Boston Children’s Hospital Website:

“Before the first treatment, a surgeon inserts a soft, hollow tube (catheter) into the child’s belly. The catheter remains in place as long as the child is on dialysis.

For the actual treatments, a parent or clinician attaches the catheter to a dialysis machine called a cycler. The cycler fills the child’s abdomen with a solution (dialysate) that absorbs waste and extra fluid in the belly and then drains it out of the body. Generally, this process happens about 10 times per treatment.

Hank’s cycler and dialysate:

Photo credit Rob Roy 🙂

Most parents start the treatments around bedtime so their child can sleep through the process.

 If a child is in end-stage renal disease, they’ll need dialysis until they receive a kidney transplant. Children added to the kidney transplant waiting list before they turn 18 rarely wait longer than a year for a donor kidney. (Adults wait an average of five to seven years.)”

Marybeth Benson, and Theresa Pak, shown with the Roy family below, are nurses from BCH who taught Anika and Rob how to perform dialysis, even coming to Gardner to ensure they felt confident in caring for Hank at home.

Boxes of dialysate are regularly delivered to the Roy homestead:

Each evening Anika and Rob (it’s a two-person procedure!) hook Hank up to his cycler for dialysis at 6 pm. After his abdomen is filled with the dialysate, Hank is in his dwelling stage for 55 minutes; then, the fluid is drained. This process repeats itself 12 times each night. After which, Hank is unhooked from the machine.

As you can imagine, this is a hard process for a wiggly 15-month-old to endure!

Anika says, “If we are lucky, he sleeps the whole time, but we are never that lucky. I usually try to read to him or sing to him for a little while before he goes to sleep. He usually sleeps for a few hours before waking up with stomach aches”. 

In addition to the cycler, Anika and Rob have lots of medical equipment to help them administer Hank’s medications and keep his ports clean.

It’s also essential to weigh Hank daily and take his blood pressure before and after each dialysis treatment.

As you can see, A LOT goes into Hank’s daily care! There are no days off.

A kidney transplant will be a complete game-changer for everyone! Hank will no longer need dialysis at all!!! 

We are very grateful to all our donors to COTA for Hank. YOU are helping this happen!

If you have yet to donate, please consider making your tax-deductible donation today; every little bit helps! 

Please also share Hank’s story so we can reach our goal of transplant and a lifetime of care needed after his surgery. 

With love and gratitude, 

Hank’s Great Aunt Kerry 

A Photo Credit Boston Children’s Hospital: