Bloomington child needs kidney transplant

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Bloomington child needs kidney transplant
WTHR-TV
updated 6:59 p.m. PT, Sat., Feb. 7, 2009

Emily Longnecker/Eyewitness News

Bloomington - A child born with a rare condition that damaged his kidneys needs help to get a life-saving transplant.

He's too young to understand what's going on, but one-year-old Ryan Isom is facing the fight of his life.

"He's a very happy and very rambunctious one-year-old right now," said Ryan's mom, Stacey.

"By looking at him, you really can't tell there's anything wrong with him," added his dad, Tim.

The dialysis machine next to Ryan's crib is the first clue his life is anything but ordinary. Ryan has been on kidney dialysis since he was eight days old. Every night his parents hook him up to the machine while he sleeps.

"It consumes eight hours of his night. Every night on dialysis, but that's all he's known, so he takes it in stride," Stacey Isom said. "We knew at 20 weeks gestation that there was a problem."

That problem turned out to be a blockage in Ryan's bladder that caused permanent kidney damage. The damage was so extensive that Ryan's only chance for survival is a kidney transplant.

"It's really hard to take, but you do what you do for your children and you just go," said Ryan's father.

Part of Ryan's care involves giving him more than 20 medicines every day, hooking him up to a feeding tube and giving him shots twice a week.

"No mother ever wants to see her child going through that," said Stacey Isom.

Ryan's kidney transplant will cost $65,000. The Isoms say so far, $20,000 has been raised at fundraisers. The community has put out collection boxes in Bloomington stores.

The Isoms say they're thankful for all of the support and every little bit counts in making this miracle happen for Ryan. But searching for that miracle, a matching kidney, can only start when Ryan reaches 25 pounds - he's got eight more to go. The Isoms say that could take another year.

"Actually, every single pound we celebrate," said Tim Isom.

From there, Ryan's mom will be first in line to get tested to see if she's a match.

"Who wouldn't give their kidney for their child?" she asked.

If no family or friends match, Ryan will end up on a national waiting list - a wait the Isoms are hoping to avoid.

"He's our little miracle. He keeps the whole family going," said Stacey.

But it's a wait the Isoms say they'll endure, after watching Ryan endure so much at so young an age.

A "Roll for Ryan" bowling benefit is set for Wednesday, February 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Suburban Bowling Lanes in Bloomington. Three games of bowling and shoe rental will cost $15, with all proceeds going to Ryan for his transplant.

A second fundraiser "Dancing and Desserts" will be held on Valentine's Day from 7:30-10 p.m. at the Bloomington Convention Center. The cost is $25 per person. To purchase tickets, e-mail dancingforryan@gmail.com.

Follow Ryan's progress

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29063439/