Fontana Girl Helps Neighbor with Lupus

Fontana Girl Helps Neighbor with Lupus

Updated: Thursday, 06 May 2010, 3:02 PM PDT
Published : Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 10:49 PM PDT

* Reporter: Christine Devine

Video Story Producer:
Gerri Shaftel

Posted by: Tony Spearman / myFOXla.com

Fontana - Natalie Quijado, a remarkable 4th grader from Fontana, is a real-life "Little Miss Sunshine." The 10-year-old girl helps her neighbor Marina Carrillo, who suffers from Lupus and is raising an autistic child.

Marina is on dialysis and has been on the kidney transplant waiting list for ten years.

Natalie drops by Marina's home every day and she brings in mail, takes out the trash and folds laundry. Almost every afternoon, Natalie gives Marina a leg and foot massage to improve her circulation.

Now Natalie is asking for help to save Marina's life.

Marina Carrillo and 10-year-old Natalie Quijada agree that the most important thing everyone can do to help people on the Kidney Transplant Waiting list, is to register your wish to be an organ donor on your driver's license.

A person with two healthy kidneys can donate one of them while still alive to another person of simlar blood/tissue type.

Dr. Oz told Natalie and Marina that the risk to a kidney donor is minimal over time. The results for the recipient are usually life changing.

If you'd like to get in touch with Natalie or Marina, please send a note to FOX 11 News Medical Producer Gerri Shaftel at gerri.shaftel@foxtv.com .

To learn more about Lupus and get help if you have it, visit lupusla.org or the Lupus Foundation of America website at www.lupus.org

To learn more about living kidney donors, visit lkdn.org .

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