Double Kidney Transplant Gives Pediatric Patient New Lease As Donor Shortfall Leaves Dozens Waiting

Ten-Year-Old Receives Dual kidney transplant After Two-Week Wait

USA: Ten-year-old Jesus Madano received a dual kidney transplantation at Ray children’s on June 25, 2025, ending years of congenital kidney failure that had confined him to dialysis and strict dietary restrictions. His mother, Maria Reyes, had been driving two hours from Imperial Valley twice weekly for his treatments until the family was placed on the transplant activation list last spring.

Jesus required two kidneys because he was born with kidney failure, and the organs were procured from another child donor. The transplant team at Ray children’s completed the operation after the family was notified, following just two weeks on the active waiting list. The procedure has given Jesus renewed energy and the ability to participate in everyday childhood activities that were previously impossible.

Dr. Elizabeth Goulies, director of Ray children’s Pediatric kidney transplant Program, said the center performs roughly 10 to 15 pediatric kidney transplants a year but currently has more than 28 children waiting. Those numbers leave many young patients vulnerable: pediatric mortality rates remain higher than for adults, and delays in transplantation severely affect quality of life.

Clinicians and the family described the outcome as a pivotal new chapter for Jesus and a stark reminder of the gap between children who need organs and available donors. The case highlights both the lifesaving impact of pediatric transplantation and the ongoing challenge transplant programs face in matching scarce pediatric organs to the children who need them most.

Video originally published on 2026-04-21 20:56:46