Articles and Information: Happiness > Kids
3rd Place Tie - A Brighter Day - 2002 Essay Contest
When I was younger, all I wanted was to live a normal life. To live a life without medicine, monthly hospital visits, and surgeries to save my life. I hated the fact that I was an outcast to the "normal" people. Some people would say that I was too different, and that I could never be like them. Others tried to give me a different point of view, a view that was as golden as a sunrise. These people are special people. They showed me that I should laugh. The negative people laugh because I am different, but I laugh because they're all the same.
When I was younger, I had a kidney transplant. My life changed drastically. From then on I would have to take medicine the rest of my life. I would have scars that I could do nothing about. This was not my choice; I did not want to live like this. I wanted to go out and play, to be free from worries of losing a vital organ easier than anybody else.
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Diagnosed at 11 Years Old! (Podcast)
Besides having the same rare blood disease, learn how many things Jessica, now 19 years old, has in common with Lori including the love of animals and laughing at Stephen’s jokes. You will hear her positive attitude.
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Educate Yourself With This Fun Dialysis Trivia Quiz-1
Test yourself with these entertaining questions about kidney disease.
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Essay Winners Spend Day Shadowing Transplant Surgeon and Learning About Dialysis
Five southern California high school students became "transplant surgeons" for the day on Thursday, April 24, at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange in conjunction with National Donate Life Month and National Take Your Child to Work Day.
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Holiday of Hope at Staples Center
There were caramel apples and cookies to decorate, games to play and music to dance to, but the fun really started when world-famous comedian George Lopez and Los Angeles Lakers star Kwame Brown, hosts of the 3rd Annual Holiday of Hope at Staples Center, showed up to give interviews and autographs. Crowds of kids bombarded Kwame and George for autographs on programs, admittance tags, photos, t-shirts and even elbows-and to have their photos snapped with their heroes!
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Kid'ney Kids Calendar - 2008
On Friday, September 14, 2007, eleven separate planes arrived in Washington, DC, carrying a few very special visitors. The 11 visitors, accompanied by family members, range in ages seven through 18 and have won the American Kidney Fund's (AKF) 12th Annual 2008 National 'Kid'ney Kids Calendar art contest for children with kidney disease.
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Kids With Kidney Disease Can Realize Their Dreams and Live Long, Normal, Productive Lives
It is important upfront to realize and believe that, like many adults, children with kidney failure requiring dialysis and/or a renal transplant can live long, normal, productive lives. And equally important: kidney kids can realize their dreams! While there will be barriers to jump and setbacks to overcome, there will also be the ultimate triumph of living happy lives. Your parents, friends, and renal healthcare team will be especially helpful to you.
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Kids, Clowns, and Dialysis: The Pediatric Dialysis Program at the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
There is a wonderful place I recently visited whose dedicated professional medical staff does its best to provide the very best treatment it can to a child or adolescent with kidney disease and renal failure. It is the Comprehensive Pediatric Dialysis Program at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital at Memorial in Hollywood, FL. Now, you wouldn’t think a hospital would really be a great place, particularly for kids, but this place is one of a kind.
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Taking the Leap: Transitioning From a Pediatric to an Adult Dialysis Unit
For a lot of pediatric patients, visits with their nephrology team can be like going to a department store: they take an interest in a lot of things. You may have gone into the store because you are have a special need in the kidney aisle, but end up passing by the immunology section on the way in and on your way out the dietitian counter offers you special incentives.
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The Great Equalizer: My Life as a Kidney Kid and Beyond
There comes a time in people's lives when they face a tragedy, a life-changing moment or string of events. It is how individuals handle adversity that will truly define them. It shows the world what they are made of and what their mark on their loved ones, their community, and even the universe, will be.
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The Miracle Continues
Throughout history the word heroism refers to people that, in the face of danger and adversity; or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice, for some greater good. Patrice Smith, a total stranger, donated a kidney to our 21-year-old daughter, liberating her after 3 years on dialysis. With pure altruism, Patrice contacted our family, persevered through the evaluation process, traveled across the US and gave a beautiful gift of love and life – giving Jenna the chance to pursue her dreams, and live the life of a normal young woman.
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The National Kidney Registry
The National Kidney Registry was started and is personally managed by a complete transplant industry outsider - a dad who just wanted to find a compatible donor for his daughter. Below is the founder's story.
When my youngest daughter was 10 years old, her kidneys failed. When we learned that she would never recover her kidney function, I raced home to check my old military records for my blood type to see if I would be able to donate my kidney. I was overcome with relief when I discovered that we were both "A" blood type and I would be able to donate.
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The Renal Teen Prom-Part 1 (Podcast)
This week we will feature the first part of a two part series: Renal Teen Prom 2007. This week Lori and Stephen visit with the teens, volunteers, and guests at RSN’s 8th annual Renal Teen Prom. Next week we’ll visit with the celebrities who came and lent their support to this great cause. The gymnasium at Notre Dame High School—the site of the prom—was transformed into a “Midnight at the Oasis,” this year’s theme, complete with beautiful palm trees, delicious renal-friendly food, and of course, kids, kids, kids. Over 350 teens and their guests attended this year! Without the help of the senior student body of Notre Dame High School this event simply would not be as successful as it has been. They selflessly gave of their time to help make one special night come to life for the young kidney patients.
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The Renal Teen Prom-Part 2 (Podcast)
This is the second part of our two part series on RSN's 8th annual Renal Teen Prom. Last week we visited with the teens, guests, and volunteers. This week Lori and Stephen talk with the great celebrities who came out and lent their support to this fantastic event. The teens were excited to have the chance to mingle with the celebs and collect their autographs. The prom just wouldn't be the same without the wonderful support of the stars! The locale of the prom-Notre Dame High School-came alive with guest appearances by Sinbad, Alexa Vega, Gary Sinise, John McCook, Christy Carlson Romano, and the LA Clippers Dance team.
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Transitioning Out of Childhood for Young People with CKD (Podcast)
Lori has a heart-to-heart with Dr. Maria Ferris, Pediatric Nephrologist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and specialist in treating adolescents and young adults with CKD. They discuss the unique challenges a young person can face, both those with childhood-onset CKD and those who develop CKD in their adolescence. Dr. Ferris and the team at UNC Kidney Center have developed helpful guidelines and tools for young people with CKD and their parents to help "smooth" what can often be a difficult transition; growing up can have a whole new meaning when you have CKD! All this and more, including discussion on the challenges of completing your education when you have CKD.
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Websites For Kidney Kids and Their Families Offer a Broad Spectrum of Useful Information
Here are some great websites that kidney kids and their families may find useful in their journey to obtain a better quality of life for children with chronic kidney and other serious diseases.
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What Kids Need to Know About Kidneys
Everybody knows that some organs in the human body are necessary for survival. You need your brain, your heart, your lungs, and especially your kidneys...
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