Shortly after Theo’s birth, he was diagnosed with an ureteropelvic junction obstruction and renal disease. At 3 months old, he underwent surgery for the obstruction. He was monitored closely to be sure any changes were quickly caught.

A few months ago, we received the news that his renal disease has advanced. Theo had just turned 8, and his kidneys were doing the best they could for him, but it is inevitable that a transplant will be needed. The timeline is unknown, it could be 6 months from now, or 3 years from now. So, as a family, we met with the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin team to prepare for the day that Theo will need his kidney transplant. The transplant team was so amazing, and answered all of our questions and concerns. At this point, we want to get everything as organized as possible so when it’s time, everything moves as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Theo is such a happy, energetic young boy. He loves watching sports, swimming in the pool, helping take care of his puppies and playing with his big brother, Luke. After his transplant, he will need to be monitored for life to ensure his kidney continues to function properly. He will also need to be on immunosuppressant medication for the rest of his life to ensure his body doesn’t reject the kidney. All of these things will be important to continue having Theo live a long, happy life.

Our family has partnered with COTA to raise money in honor of Theo to assist with a lifetime of transplant related expenses. 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.