Planning for Mother’s Day, eleven year-old Hailey Bolen was able to motivate her three younger brothers into attending her craft-making party by serving refreshments. As the only girl, Hailey has more than a little experience in knowing how difficult it can be to organize her energetic brothers into a focused activity. She knows that the promise of food is always guaranteed to at least bring them to the same place at the same time. Once there, they cut strips of hand-decorated paper with those classic rounded scissors, and made them into flowers. Each flower revealed a secret hand-written message to be discovered by their mother on the one day that is dedicated to being a mom.

Hailey, acting in love and kindness, was simply being who she is. It will be repeated in both big and small ways in the coming months, just as it always has been during her short life. She never needs to be prompted or reminded to think of others. In fact, she will set the example for her brothers, for other kids, and for all the adults who are the recipients of her love. Hailey is clearly no ordinary little girl.

Hailey is not, however, just extraordinary because of her thoughtfulness and empathy, but because of her strength, courage, and resilience. Traits of those engaged in a battle, not often demanded of one so young. But Hailey’s childhood changed last year. Not because of the pandemic, but because of a disease rarely seen in children. The experts only know that it is an autoimmune disease most often found in adults, and little on how it should be treated in children.

The disease revealed itself in early 2020, when the vibrant, competitive, and joyful Hailey began to change. She grew quiet, tired, and often looked pale. She was no longer able to energetically play, swim, or continue in sports. For weeks her parents, Tyler and Teresa, shuttled Hailey to dozens of appointments searching to find the elusive cause of her failing health. A urine test eventually revealed her kidneys were in renal failure, and doctors in Redding referred Hailey to UC Davis (UCD) Children’s Hosipital in Sacramento, CA.

Once admitted to UCD, Tyler and Teresa repeatedly took turns making the long journey back and forth for almost four weeks.  Hospital COVID restrictions permitted only one parent to visit Hailey at a time, while the other took care of the three boys at home.

Physicians diagnosed Hailey as having Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCA) associated vasculitis. In short, these antibodies cause the small blood vessels in the body to rupture. In Hailey’s case, these antibodies attacked her lungs and severely damaged her kidneys. The damage to her kidneys is irreparable, and a transplant is necessary.

After her long stay at UCD hospital, Hailey returned home, but remains on peritoneal dialysis. Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that uses the lining of the abdomen to filter the blood inside her body. It is a process to remove waste from the blood when the kidneys cannot adequately do the job. Peritoneal dialysis filters blood differently than does the more common blood-filtering procedure called hemodialysis. Hailey endures from 10-12 hours of peritoneal dialysis nightly.

Recently, Stanford Children’s Hospital (Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital) accepted Hailey into their transplant program where she is on a wait list. Tyler and Teresa are working with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to provide fundraising assistance.

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Without question, Hailey will continue her quiet and inspirational display of strength, courage, and resilience. But, this is not a battle Hailey can win on her own. We are asking you to join COTA for Team Hailey to help reach our $100,000 goal.  

Your prayers and financial support are sincerely appreciated.