When Justin was born, there were no indications that anything was wrong. But soon after his birth, doctors informed his mom that Justin was missing a vital organ: a kidney.
This condition, called unilateral renal agenesis, affects 1 in every 1,000 live births. It is not typically fatal, and many people live normal, healthy lives. However, some do develop complications. Justin was one of those people. He was flown from Reno to UC Davis Children’s Hospital at four days old.
Now 15, Justin has faced a series of struggles. His first kidney transplant as a toddler failed when he was 7 years old. He has been on dialysis 10 hours a day every day since.
But in June 2024, Justin got the news he’d been hoping for: there was a kidney available. He had surgery on June 16 and now, a year and several follow-up appointments/labs later, there are no signs of rejection!
