Calgary family searches for living kidney donor to save eight-year-old daughter

A Calgary family is making an urgent plea for a living kidney donor to save their eight-year-old daughter. She's one of thousands on an organ donor list.

Eight-year-old Brianna Bodkin dreams of a future filled with horseback riding, dancing and playing with her dogs.

But for now, her world is measured in hospital visits and medication schedules, as her family makes an urgent plea for a living kidney donor.

“She is full of life. She’s silly, sassy, fun loving,” said Jill Bodkin, Brianna’s mother.

Brianna was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in June and is currently in kidney failure.

While her medical team at the Alberta Children’s Hospital is managing the condition with medication, the family has been told to begin the search for a transplant.

“A living donor lasts much longer than a deceased donor,” Jill said. “If we can find a living donor, then she can go straight to the transplant. Once the transplant is done, she can go back to being a kid and just running around.”

Without a living donor, Brianna faces a difficult road: she would be required to start dialysis for approximately a year while waiting for a deceased donor.

On average, the wait for a deceased donor organ is three years and seven months, according to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

‘Negative lottery’

The search has been complicated by a devastating genetic discovery.

Both Jill and her husband, Rick Bodkin, were found to be genetic carriers for the disease, making them ineligible to donate.

Their other daughter, Brooke, has also been diagnosed with kidney disease, though her illness is less advanced than Brianna’s.

“It’s like winning the negative lottery, unfortunately. He’s a carrier. I’m a carrier. But we both didn’t know that because nobody in our family has kidney disease. It was a complete shock to us,” Jill said.

Organ donation

Brianna has type O blood, but her father noted that donors with different blood types can still assist through the Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Program, which matches multiple donors and recipients across the country.

“We just want to kind of create awareness. Really spread the word to people who might be interested in becoming a living donor. Not just for our girls, but for anyone out there,” Rick said.

There are approximately 2,900 Canadians currently waiting on a kidney transplant according to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Joyce Van Deurzen of the Kidney Foundation of Canada says potential donors shouldn’t be deterred by health concerns.

“They’ve done studies and follow ups of living donors. It shows that living donors on average live longer than people who’ve never donated an organ. We’re not sure why. Probably it’s because they were so healthy to start with. It’s safe to be a living donor,” Van Deurzen said.

Those interested in learning more or being tested as a potential match are encouraged to contact the Southern Alberta Transplant Program or the Kidney Foundation.

Albertans are also reminded to register their intent to donate organs and tissues on the MyHealth.Alberta.ca website.

One donor can save up to eight lives and improve the quality of life for up to 75 others.