Please give my baby a chance

Hi My daughter's name is Kataleya Valentina. She is almost 2 years old—but her life has been anything but ordinary.

Upon early stages of pregnancy, something terribly wrong was brought to our attention. Kataleya had an extremely rare condition called bilateral ureteroceles. In simple terms, the tubes that carry urine from her kidneys to her bladder were completely blocked by membranes on both sides. My baby couldn’t urinate in the womb.

Because of this, I developed oligohydramnios—dangerously low amniotic fluid—because that fluid is made from a baby’s urine. Without it, her development and survival were at risk. By 8 months, I was admitted as a high-risk patient and had to be induced early, not knowing what would happen next.

On her very first day of life, my newborn had to undergo surgery. Doctors inserted a camera and laser into her tiny body to create holes in both sides, so she could finally urinate.

But by then, the damage was already severe.

Kataleya was born with renal failure (stage 5, function is less than 15%). The urine that had been trapped in her kidneys caused irreversible damage. Her lab values were/are dangerously high, her electrolytes unstable, and doctors prepared us for the reality that her kidneys would basically shrivel up and disappear. We were also told she would need dialysis to survive… Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7am, 2 hours a day. She can’t stand, she can’t walk, and a symptom of stage 5 is uremia (a serious, life-threatening condition caused by advanced kidney failure, where waste products accumulate in the blood). Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, confusion, itching, leg cramps, and swelling.

The first month of life was isolated in the NICU,

And then we finally got home, just to find that we’d be admitted every month and practically live in the hospital for the first few years of her life.

Recently, her condition has become even more complex. She has stopped growing and gaining weight, leading to the placement of a G-tube for feeding. Since birth, she has suffered from relentless projectile vomiting and struggles to swallow food by mouth. Every day I watch my child endure more than most adults ever will.

Even on the hardest days, she holds on and is such a pure love and light. The whole world loves her and she loves them. Her pure heart could lift the sorrow of even the worst situations.

All of this to say, we now have hope: stem cell therapy. This emerging medical treatment aims to repair and regenerate damaged tissue—including organs like the kidneys. For Kataleya, this could mean a chance at healing… a chance for her kidneys to grow with her… a chance to avoid a lifetime of dialysis or even a transplant, which would still have her in the hospital with around-the-clock care.

But this treatment is not simple. It is not guaranteed. And it is incredibly expensive.

As a mother, I am doing everything I can to give my daughter a chance at life—to see her grow, to see her thrive, to see her surpass everything they said she couldn’t do, to see her experience the world outside of hospitals and machines.

I am asking you—not just as a stranger, but as a parent, a friend, and a neighbor. Please consider helping give my beautiful angel this amazing opportunity!

If you cannot donate, we more than understand. Please take just a moment to share her story. Share it on your page, send it to someone, help her reach someone who can help. Social media is powerful, and one share could change everything for her.

Every donation. Every share. Every prayer. It all matters more than you know!!!!

Please help us fight for our strong kidney warrior.

Because she more than deserves her life back

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