Help for Nick and Heidi

Nicholas Swanson is a 13 year old boy. Nick is in end stage renal disease and needs a kidney to stay alive.

At birth, Nick underwent surgery to remove a diseased kidney. After 30 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), he was released with the doctor’s warning that Nick’s one remaining kidney would also fail. Eventually, he would need a kidney transplant. Today, Nick sleeps a lot. He has neither the strength nor the energy to run and play like other kids his age do. He is now in need of that new kidney.

Nick’s mother, Heidi, is a single mom to Nick and his younger brother Dylan. Together, they have spent the last thirteen years managing Nick’s declining health. Their father is not involved in their lives. As Nick’s health has deteriorated, so has Heidi's availability to work. Having a child with stage 4 kidney disease and preparing for a necessary transplant requires an overwhelming amount of doctor and clinician visits. As a single mother, Heidi has been struggling trying to juggle her time between working with that of taking care of her ailing child. Furthermore, due to Nick’s rapidly failing health, doctors are anticipating that three times a week, 3 hour dialysis treatments may be needed. If he is lucky enough to get a kidney transplant, he will need continued aid in the months that follow surgery. All this in addition to the daily care and support this sick little boy needs from his mom.

We are asking you to please help Heidi and Nick and show them they are not alone in this fight. Please consider making a contribution, no matter how small. Any amount is appreciated and will allow Heidi to focus not on financial stresses, but to focus on providing the best care and comfort while trying to save her son's life.

Alternatively, please consider donating your own kidney. Nick needs an O blood type kidney donor. Heidi is the only family member with a good match to donate to Nick, but tragically, due to her own battle with leukemia (diagnosed in May, 2007, thankfully in remission), she is not eligible to donate to her son. If your kidney does not match with Nick’s, certainly there are other deserving people on the transplant list that will benefit from your generosity.

Thank you.