Blake’s story: Back on the lacrosse field after a life-saving kidney transplant

Since the first grade, playing lacrosse has given Blake community, a physical outlet, and a way to keep growing and challenging himself. Now 18, he's the captain of his high school team and plans to play at Southern Methodist University (SMU) next year. He has respect for the game that is the oldest sport on record, invented by Native Americans who called it "the medicine game" because of their belief in its healing benefits.

“I love the brotherhood of my team, how fast the game moves and how good it’s been for both my mental and physical health,” says Blake. “It feels great to be part of a team. And I appreciate the commitment and discipline that comes along with practice and training each season.”

For more than a decade, there's only been one season where Blake couldn't play: fall of his junior year.

"One day, back in September of 2024, I was fine. And the next, I woke up puffy and in pain. After doctors ran tests, they told me I had end-stage renal disease," Blake says. "And just like that, my whole life was flipped upside down."

The road to kidney failure

Blake was born with multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) requiring removal of his left kidney at just 7 months old. At age 4, a biopsy of Blake’s remaining kidney resulted in a broad diagnosis of thin basement membrane disease. His care team followed him with yearly labs and kidney ultrasounds but he never had any serious problems.

Then, in July 2024, Blake got sick with mononucleosis. And while he was able to fully recover, his kidney was not. By September, Blake was in full renal failure and spent two weeks in the hospital, where he was put on hemodialysis. After genetic testing and another biopsy, he got a definitive diagnosis of Alport syndrome, a rare genetic disease that often doesn't surface until the teen years.

“We now know my grandfather had Alport’s. He had a kidney transplant at age 18. But nobody in the family realized it could happen to me – until my genetic test came back and we put the pieces together,” says Blake.

After he left the hospital, Blake continued to need peritoneal dialysis to filter his blood every night at home, while he slept.

“I had to be in bed by a certain time to do my dialysis for 12 hours while I slept, which meant I didn’t always sleep well or feel great in the morning,” says Blake. “But I stayed positive and told myself ‘I’m not going to let this overshadow my life or impact the person I want to be.’”

His care team started discussing a kidney transplant. Concerned about the impact of this surgery during his final years of high school, they sought out a second opinion at the Solid Organ Transplant Center at Children’s Health℠.

Deciding to move forward with transplant at Children’s Health

The team at Children's Health knew that Blake's mom, as a carrier for Alport syndrome, wasn't a viable donor. But they crossed their fingers that his dad, Bill, would be a good match.

“Very quickly, we had Blake’s dad tested – to make sure his kidneys were healthy enough to donate one of them – and that he was in good health to undergo the surgery,” says Dr. Mouin Gerios Seikaly, M.D., Pediatric Nephrologist at Children’s Health and Professor at UT Southwestern.

When Bill was approved by the donor committee and confirmed as a match, the family was relieved.

His care team understood Blake's reservations about how a transplant might affect his senior year. "But we knew that transplant was the path to getting Blake back to living a pretty normal life, which is always our goal. And within a few months, our team had everything lined up to perform surgery for dad and surgery for Blake," says Dr. Seikaly.

Receiving his dad’s kidney

As Blake continued dialysis and prepared for transplant, both he and his dad followed every recommendation from the care team. His mom also became an expert at helping to administer his dialysis at home.

"Blake and his family have been wonderful partners and they’ve always wanted to do all the right things," says Dr. Seikaly.

Despite being on dialysis every night, Blake didn't miss a single lacrosse game. He even played in one the day before he checked into the hospital for his transplant surgery.

"I really took it day by day and powered through," Blake adds. "And everyone on my team – the transplant coordinators, the counselors, the social workers, Child Life – were so supportive. I always felt I was in good hands, which helped me trust the process."

His dad felt he was in good hands too.

“My surgery was remarkably smooth and efficient. I was discharged the very next day so I could be by Blake’s bedside,” says Bill. “I was so impressed with the entire donor process from start to finish – and I’ll be forever grateful to the transplant teams at both UT Southwestern and Children’s Health.”

Surgery for living donors is now done laparoscopically. “Living donors are typically out of the hospital in 1 to 3 days and quickly able to return to work," says Lesli McConnell, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Pediatric Transplant Surgery at Children’s Health. “Blake and his dad both bounced back very quickly.”

Blake stayed in the hospital for about a week while his team managed pain, monitored for complications and got him moving. He was eager to help with that last part.

Life post-transplant

Blake is now 12 months post-transplant. He still needs to go in for bloodwork and infusions once a month and has to take multiple medications at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily – "but those are no big deal, especially compared to dialysis," he says.

His care team continues to adjust his medications to preserve kidney function long-term.

"We've made great strides in the medications we use to manage immunosuppression in the last 10 or 20 years, which helps prolong the need for another transplant," says Dr. Seikaly. And Blake and his team know what to watch out for moving forward.

"I tell people that getting routine labs and checkups is so important because people can have kidney problems and have no idea. But labs can tell a different story. And when we know there's a problem, we can help preserve kidney function over the long-term," says McConnell.

Blake plans to study business and kinesiology at SMU, just ten minutes from Children's Health. He's looking forward to the independence of college – and sharing his story.

"I looked for stories from other teens who had a similar path to draw inspiration and couldn't find any," he says. "I hope my story might help fill that gap because the biggest barrier is often yourself. I know how powerful it can be to trust yourself, remain hopeful and stay focused on the outcome.

You have an opportunity and you make the most of it.”

Learn more

The Pediatric Organ Transplant Center at Children’s Health has been a national leader in pediatric heart, liver and kidney transplants since the late 1970s. We’ve performed thousands of pediatric solid organ transplants with excellent outcomes.

Become a donor

More than 100,000 people are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. Learn more organ donation facts, how you could save a life through living organ donation, or register as a donor through Donate Life America.