Owing to a rare condition known as polycystic kidney disease (PKD), Karen Rhodes and Paul Rybkin’s son faced a dire prognosis, with only 36 hours to live due to cysts forming in his kidneys leading to renal failure.
In 2013, when the couple welcomed another child, Maddy, they were filled with joy. Unfortunately, Maddy was born with the same illness as her brother, prompting the parents to embark on a search for a remedy to secure a long and happy life for their daughter. Despite the challenges, Maddy’s father, Paul, eventually succeeded in giving her a chance at life after two years of relentless effort.
Maddy spent a significant portion of her initial year and a half surrounded by doctors, requiring oxygen treatments and breathing tubes. Her stomach was consistently enlarged due to the illness, rendering her helpless, tired, and prone to vomiting. Concerns grew among the medical professionals about Maddy’s survival if a kidney donor couldn’t be found.
Thankfully, the family received encouraging news from physicians who deemed Maddy’s father a suitable donor. Karen, Maddy’s mother, felt immense concern for both her husband and daughter as they faced surgery.
Fortune favored Paul and Maddy as the procedure went smoothly, and Paul successfully saved his daughter. Karen shared that Maddy, once a girl beset by health challenges, is now full of life and enthusiasm as a contented and healthy 2-year-old with a normal, albeit slightly rounder, stomach.
While Paul is thrilled to have saved his second child, he humbly acknowledges that any responsible parent would make the same decision in a similar situation. «I am overjoyed that our child is now healthy and content with life. We experienced a lot of emotions and difficult things, but we managed to get through them. Any father would have made the same decision as me if doing so would have allowed him to save his child,» Paul reportedly told The Mirror.
As Maddy overcame her illness and now joyfully plays with friends, her parents eagerly anticipate her development into a typical adult. Despite doctors’ predictions of another kidney transplant in 25 years, the family remains hopeful, savoring the present moment and wishing for continued happiness and joy for their united family.
