An Infant Kidney Transplant: Liam’s Story

At just two months of age, baby Liam was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure. Not exactly what you think you’re going to hear when you think your baby has a case of terrible colic.

Liam’s startling diagnosis came with a realization that the health of their baby in grave danger and he needed an infant kidney transplant.

His parents, Clara and Marc, needed to make huge lifestyle changes to care for him: Moving their family from their home on Mauritius to Paris for additional medical care, for one.

Clara had already planned on taking time off after Liam was born, but now it was even more necessary. After their move, Marc commuted between Paris and Mauritius for work, leaving Clara home alone with their two young boys frequently. And Liam needed a feeding tube and constant care. His health could just as quickly deteriorate as it improved, daily.

Ups and Downs

Eventually, happily, Liam also got a kidney transplant.

And today, at three years of age, he is “well” — by their own, new, definition of healthy in their family. At the time of this writing, Liam’s mom says that he has had some of the best weeks of his life: “He has started eating, he is talking more, and definitely looks much better,” she says.

But, after so many ups and downs, she knows things can change quickly. “Like the doctors say, ‘Liam’s health is like milk on fire…it can be all smooth and suddenly everything changes.’”

“If we could do it all again we would never want it differently.”

Clara admits that there are days that as the main caretaker she feels “totally shattered” and not sure how she’ll finish the day. Sometimes when her husband gets home, she takes a quick getaway in the south of France at her gran’s. But more often than not, she finds solace in her faith and support from the people of her church, who she has known since she was a child.

Strengthening

“When Marc and I talk about it all, we always say that if we could do it all again we would never want it differently,” Clara says. “This situation has strengthened us as a couple, changed our hearts, brought us to know Jesus more and trust him for every single hour. So yes, this situation has been the greatest blessing of my life and I thank the Lord every day that He chose us to be Liam’s parents.”

Sometimes a kind gesture makes a world of difference. Start a CaringBridge website for someone facing a health challenge.