Hero Mom Donates 2 Organs to Save Her Son
Joe Lamont was born with a condition that affects one out of every 20,000 children. He had to have both of his kidneys removed and has lived on dialysis ever since. Joe has autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, or ARPKD. The disorder is a result of genetic mutation that affects the development of the kidneys, ultimately causing renal and liver disease.
Joe, now 4, is beginning the new year with a promise from his mom: “This will be your year.” Sarah Lamont, 36, from Ballymena in Northern Ireland, plans to give her son one of her own kidneys and part of her liver.
“In June, Joe had been on the transplant list for over a year, and there was no sign of him getting a call,” she told the Belfast Telegraph in an interview. Joe had developed liver disease and would die without a transplant. It was then that Sarah made up her mind to be his donor.
“I’ll be all right; I’m a very optimistic person. If I could do it today, I would — the sooner the better,” she said.
Most infants born with ARPKD don’t survive due to lung immaturity, a product of their kidneys not producing enough amniotic fluid, which the lungs need in order to develop. The severely enlarged kidneys also prevent the lungs from fully expanding.
The infant mortality rate for those with the disease can be as high as 50 percent, and most sufferers need a transplant before their 10th birthday. In Joe’s case he’ll probably need multiple transplants throughout his life due to his condition.
Despite this hardship, Joe is an ordinary, happy child, “He’s so funny. He’s got a box of practical jokes, and he’s a real character who loves to sing,” says Sarah.
She encourages anyone who’s physically able to donate to register as an organ donor, saying: “If you’re on your deathbed of course you would take an organ, so if you’re prepared to take it, you should of course be prepared to give.”
