‘We share kidneys’ – dad donates his to son as they battle rare condition
Ethan climbing Mount Snowdon in 2023 (Image: PA)
A Yorkshire dad-of-two, whose teenage son was diagnosed with an extremely rare immunological condition, donated an organ to save his life and now they “share (his) kidneys”.
In 2022, Daniel France’s world was rocked when his eldest son Ethan, now 15, was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), a rare condition where blood vessels become inflamed. This caused his kidneys and lungs to “fill with blood”, along with a bleed on the brain, and he required two types of dialysis treatment for kidney failure before having a transplant.
Fast forward to December 2023 and Daniel, 41, was able to save his life by donating his kidney. The pair said humour helped them through their “darkest moments”, and although it has been “such an emotional rollercoaster of events”, they feel grateful and want to make “every day count”.
“As a parent, the first thought is just to protect your child and do the best that you can for them,” Daniel said, reports the Mirror.
Ethan in hospital (Image: PA)
“You don’t ever imagine a scenario where you’re going to actually give your kidney away, but that was the reality, so I was more than happy to give my kidney away.”
Ethan added: “Going through all these different challenges in the space of two years, I’ve become an almost completely different person. For me, every day is a gift because two years ago, I might not have even been here.”
In May 2022, Ethan began showing severe symptoms: joint pain, fever, vomiting, and a relentless cough suggestive of a chest infection turned sinister when the teenager started “coughing up blood”, leading to his emergency admission at Hull Royal Infirmary where he received immediate IV antibiotics.
Tragedy loomed just two days on as Ethan faced internal bleeding, relied on oxygen support, and urgently awaited a blood transfusionhis father Daniel, in Paris at the time, rushed to his side. The situation escalated; Ethan required ECMO life support while unconscious and was transferred to Leicester Royal Infirmary in June 2022.
Daniel said he and his son Ethan now share (his) kidneys (Image: PA)
“His health just plummeted from out of nowhere,” reflected a distraught Daniel.
Daniel recounted the harrowing experience: “It was indescribable to get that phone call and be so far away… the prospect of living without him was just unthinkable to me.”
Despite suffering kidney and lung damage due to extensive bleeding, medical professionals identified the culprit as GPAa fierce condition hungry for blood vessels in vital organs. For Ethan, dubbed “aggressive” by doctors, it targeted his ears, nose, sinuses, kidneys, and lungs.
Ethan’s battle continued after two and a half weeks as he was relocated to Leeds General Infirmary, situated a worrisome 90-minute drive from his family home. There, he endured a cerebral hemorrhage but miraculously pulled through.
Ethan was released from hospital in July 2022 and began haemodialysis three times a week at a local hospital, followed by procedures to enable peritoneal dialysis, which was carried out at home.
Haemodialysis involves diverting blood into an external machine, where it is filtered before being returned to the body, whereas peritoneal dialysis involves pumping dialysis fluid into the space inside the abdomen to draw out waste products from the blood.
This was halted after two months due to complications, but Ethan’s kidneys had improved enough for him to be placed on a restricted diet on which he could only consume 800ml of fluids per day until the “inevitable” transplant took place in December 2023.
Daniel and Ethan’s “nana” Sue had put themselves forward as donors, but Daniel was the closest match and on the day of the transplant, Ethan’s kidneys were failing, meaning he “limped” on to the ward.
“At one point, we didn’t know if it was going to go ahead, but it just went from nothing to everything in the space of a minute,” Ethan said.
Daniel, Ethan, and nana Sue (Image: PA)
Daniel, Ethan, and grandad Anthony (Image: PA)
Daniel was at St James’s University Hospital, where he had his left kidney removed, while Ethan was waiting at Leeds General Infirmary ready to receive the organ and the “pieces fell into place perfectly”.
“The doctors said as soon as they attached it, it was switched on,” Daniel said.
“Ethan’s recovery was incredible, he was jumping around the room after about three or four days.”
Daniel revealed his recovery spanned roughly four months, admitting the process felt like his body mourned its former self, which has left him feeling emotional at times; nonetheless, he has happily regained full health.
Daniel and Ethan said they want to make every day count (Collect/PA Real Life) NOTE TO EDITORS: This image must only be used in conjunction with PA Real Life story REAL LIFE Kidneys. All usage is subject to a fee or incorporated into your outlets agreed content package. Find copy in full on PA Explore or contact PA Real Life at RealLife2@pamediagroup.com or on 020 7963 7175 for access or queries (Image: PA)
Ethan, too, bounced back admirably, diving back into school life for his exams and even indulging in some work experience. With aspirations of graphic design or a career in gaming, he’s determined to forge a bright future despite the medications he’ll need for some time, possibly along with further dialysis or another transplant down the line.
Yet for now, Ethan remains “stable” and “grateful” for the invaluable lessons life has taught him.
“I’ll never not show appreciation, I’ll never take anything for granted,” he expressed.
He added: “You’ve only really got one chance to be who you are, so you’ve got to focus on what you’re doing now.
“There are always going to be these types of events in someone’s life my life has changed forever now and you’ve just got to adapt to that. I’m always going to have to take medication, but at the end of the day, at least I’m still here.”
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