4-Year Old with Bad Kidney Needs Help

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4-Year Old with Bad Kidney Needs Help
 
Monday, Oct 06, 2008 - 05:10 PM Updated: 06:23 PM
 
By Randi Hempel
 
More than 600,000 Americans have polycystic kidney disease, or PKD.
 
It's where cysts form on the kidney, resulting in reduced function or failing of the kidney. There isn't a treatment or a cure for the disease, but patients and their families have hope.
 
News 3's Randi Hempel met with 4 year old Alecia Bazemore, a young child suffering from the disease today.
 
A viewer who goes to the same church as the family called news three looking for help. The family can't afford treatment because they don't have insurance, but they do have hope.
 
4-year old Alecia Bazemore is all energy now as she runs around the family’s living room, but soon, she'll be running on “E”.
 
Mom, Beth, says the hypertension is all part of the side effects of her polycystic kidney disease.
 
"She was born with a kidney that had cysts on it, they knew that when she was born,” explains mom, Beth Bazemore.
 
"Good kidney, bad kidney," Alecia points to both of her kidneys.
 
“There is a dead organ in my child. It's completely failed now,” continues Beth.
 
And Alecia suffers with side effects; frequent urinary tract infections, vomiting, chronic fevers, and even bacteria in her blood.
 
"I don't want her overlooked anymore. I mean it's put a financial strain on everything.  We can't get her to the proper physicians. Atlanta is the main source of Naphology, there's none in the Savannah area,” continues Beth.
 
The family can't afford the trek to Emory in Atlanta, $250 in gas, but that's not all. They don't have insurance. Alecia's Medicaid was canceled and they can't pay out of pocket, especially since Beth lost her job after taking time off to care for her daughter.
 
“Thousands of children die from this disease from being overlooked,” adds Beth.
 
Alecia plays with her stuffed animals. She’s full of life, smiles, and laughter. Mom doesn't want her little girl to be overlooked.
 
Beth has been to Atlanta and Augusta several times to seek treatment for Alecia, that's when she found out that the Medicaid ran out.
 
She requested the removal of Alecia's bad kidney, but she says that doctors told her to give them a reason. She thinks it's because they can't afford to pay.
 
She says I caught Alecia on a good day and that some days she just lies around because she doesn't have the energy to move.
 
A fund has been set up for Alecia at BB&T bank. You can go into any BB&T branch and tell them that you want to donate to the Alecia Bazemore Kidney Fund.
 
For more information on PKD, click on the links below.
PKD Foundation http://www.pkdcure.org/
National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/polycystic/

http://www.wsav.com/midatlantic/sav/news.apx.-content-articles-SAV-2008-10-06-0010.html