As children across the country excitedly anticipate Christmas and send their wish lists to Santa – asking for hover boards and other popular toys – one 10-year-old Lewisburg, PA girl is just grateful for the simple things this year.
Last holiday season, life for Katy Mahon was much different than it is today. After moving to Pennsylvania with her family in June, 2014, Katy went to North Carolina to visit her grandparents. After experiencing frightening health problems during her stay – including severe headaches and an inability to breathe properly – she was rushed to the hospital. Her blood tests were analyzed and doctors determined that her kidney function was nearly non-existent. She was in kidney failure due to an autoimmune disease, which attacked and caused severe damage to her kidneys.
Katy’s mother, Amy, immediately rushed to be by her daughter’s side in the hospital in North Carolina, and knew that her little girl had a long and challenging fight ahead of her. Because of Katy’s autoimmune disease, she was unable to be listed for a kidney transplant right away. “She was such a trooper through it all,” said Amy. “She knew that she had to get into better shape to be listed for a kidney, and after four months in the hospital bed-bound, she was nearly unable to walk. She built herself up – even with food restrictions and dialysis every day – she began walking with me and our dogs at the park. Slowly, she got to where she needed to be.”
Friends and family members were tested to see if they could be a donor. Even her older brother’s baseball coach was tested and tried to be a living donor, before it was discovered that he had kidney cancer and was ruled out as a possibility. As living donation seemed to no longer be an option, the Mahon family had to wait.
Then after many months of illness and patience, they received the call that they had been desperately waiting for – there was a kidney match for Katy. “As soon as she woke up from the surgery, she was completely different. Her blood levels all evened out, and within two weeks she was out of the hospital. Her older brother can barely keep up with her at this point! She loves to play basketball and baseball, to ride her bike and to play with her American Dolls,” said Amy.
The Mahon family’s gratitude is huge. This Christmas, they aren’t focusing on gifts or traveling. They are looking forward to having their family over for Christmas dinner at their new home in Lewisburg. “We’re just looking forward to being ‘normal’ this holiday. Last year, Katy had to have dialysis before Santa came and couldn’t run downstairs to see her presents. This year, she can. She can also eat all of the foods that I make for dinner, since she no longer has food restrictions.” said Amy.
“I want to share Katy’s story and speak more about it.” she said. “I would love to reach others and give them hope. It’s really hard to go through this emotionally, and it would make me happy to be able to give others support. My entire family just feels so fortunate and grateful for my daughter’s donor and that we got through this. We made it and now I would like to give back to others.”
Today in Gift of Life’s region, there are nearly 5,900 men, women and children who are awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. In the U.S., 22 people die each day while waiting. Unfortunately, there are not enough registered organ and tissue donors, resulting in a shortage of transplantable organs for those who need them. By registering today at donors1.org, you can help make a difference. It only takes 30 seconds to register.
Gift of Life Donor Program has worked tirelessly for the past 41 years to coordinate donors’ generosity with those in need. Since 1974, Gift of Life – the organ procurement organization for eastern PA, southern NJ and DE – has helped save nearly 40,000 lives through organ donation, and enhanced over half a million lives through tissue donation.