Abigail Beutler, who was born without kidneys, is alive today thanks to her parents’ perseverance and the care she received at Stanford Children’s Health. Abigail’s mother, Jaime Herrera Beutler, needed repeated infusions during her pregnancy to maintain amniotic fluid levels. Despite being told it was impossible to offer life to a child born without kidneys, the family found a doctor and hospital willing to treat them and a hospital that could provide dialysis to a newborn. At Stanford Children’s, Abigail was one of the smallest babies to receive neonatal peritoneal dialysis, and she survived due to this innovative care. Abigail’s case influenced the development of the NephroNICU program at Stanford Children’s, which offers niche care for infants with severe kidney problems and is widely considered a destination center for babies who need dialysis. After months of healing at the hospital, Abigail received a kidney transplant at 2 and a half years old and returned to Stanford Children’s.
