The gift of a lifetime

On February 23, 2016, Rachel Lentz, a former student at Robert Blue Middle School in 2003, gave birth to two beautiful identical twin girls in Istanbul, Turkey. It was double the joy that quickly turned to concern for one of them -
baby Evangeline (Eva). Lentz said she had no idea that Eva would be born with End-Stage Renal Disease (the final stage of kidney disease when dialysis or a transplant is needed to stay alive).

Dialysis would be little Eva’s lifestyle for nearly two years—a daily treatment that was critical in keeping her alive, until Eva was big enough to receive a transplant.

Following the approval of Lentz as the donor, on November 13, 2017, Lentz and Eva both went into surgery, in adjoining operating rooms - Lentz to have one kidney removed, and Eva to have both native kidneys removed - then replaced by a healthy one from her mother.

“The surgeons said (my kidney) nestled in perfectly... like it was made for her,” Lentz said, still full of emotion from
the event.
 

For the full story, see the February 8 edition of the Monitor.

Wright County Monitor

P.O. Box 153
Clarion, IA 50525
Phone: 515-532-2871
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