Surgery for little boy means big costs for local family
By Stephanie Kandel
WEST AKRON — All of 23 pounds at 3 years old, little Ian Healy already has had seven surgeries and sleeps at night hooked up to kidney dialysis for 10 hours.
Ian, born with underperforming and undersized kidneys and now in stage five kidney failure, was called a “miracle baby” when his family was able to take him home from the hospital.
“They really didn’t think that he would make it at all,” said Ian’s mother, Judith Healy.
Now that Ian has been able to gain enough weight, he is about ready for, and certainly in need of, a kidney transplant.
But the West Akron family is looking at not only the possibility of Ian’s surgery, which would cost tens of thousands of dollars, but of surgery for his mother, too. Healy plans to be tested soon to determine if she is able to donate one of her kidneys to her son.
“We’re planning to try to do the transplant late spring, early summer,” she said.
To help offset the huge anticipated costs associated with both surgeries, a fund has been set up at National City Bank and several fund-raisers have taken place and are planned.
Louis Petit, Healy’s brother and Ian’s uncle, said anyone may donate to the Ian Healy Kidney Fund at any National City branch. Checks made out to the Ian Healy Kidney Fund can be mailed to National City Bank, 2900 W. Market St., Fairlawn, OH 44333. A Web site also has been established at www. geocities.com/hope4ianhealy, where those who are interested may donate through PayPal.
Petit said the goal is to raise about $30,000 to help the family with all of the costs they will incur, including lost work time.
Even more would be helpful.
“If we can get 45 [thousand], that would be awesome,” he said.
A fund-raiser also is planned
to take place at Max & Erma’s in Montrose,
which will donate a certain
amount of the purchase made by each customer who brings
a flier to the restaurant, Petit said. More details
on that event should be available at a later date.
A fund-raiser took place March
19 at The Getaway in Merriman Valley and was fairly
successful, Petit said.
“It was very heartwarming
to know that people were that generous to come,”
Healy added.
A bake sale and raffle also was
planned for March 29 at the Healys’ church, St.
Sebastian. The cost of
a transplant surgery for Ian is estimated at $60,000,
Healy said — not including hospitalization and
medication. And not including the cost of the surgery
Healy would undergo to have her kidney removed.
“I don’t even know
what that is at this point,” she said. “We
haven’t really gotten that far.”
Healy explained that it is possible
for an adult to donate a kidney to a child, and that
the kidney Ian would receive would be placed in the
belly, either in the intestinal
area or lower, near the pelvic bone.
The pelvic area is preferable
to avoid intestinal problems, but the family is waiting
to see if Ian will be big enough to have a kidney transplanted
near the pelvic bone, Healy said.
Healy expects that Medicare would
take over covering Ian’s costs when a transplant
ensues, and would cover 80 percent of the costs of the
transplant.
According to Healy, Ian’s
primary insurance, along with Medicare, would resume
coverage three years after
the transplant.
Right now, the family makes the
45-minute drive once a month to Rainbow Babies and Children’s
Hospital in Cleveland, where Dr. Beth Vogt, who specializes
in pediatric nephrology, is Ian’s doctor and one
of a supportive team of health professionals there,
Healy said.
“Once he gets a transplant,
we’ll be going up once a week for the first few
months at least, and it just depends on how he does
with the kidney and rejection,” she said.
Judith and Anthony Healy
also have a 5-year-old son, Mason, who has become Ian’s
buddy and guardian, their mom said.
“As he’s gotten older,
he and Ian have gotten very close. He worries about
him,” she said. “He’s just there for
Ian, and he really looks out for him.”
Mason attends half-day preschool,
and Judith has been able to work part time while her
mother watches the boys. Judith works for Studio B,
and Anthony for Max & Erma’s.
“We have definitely had
a lot of ups and downs emotionally,” she said.
“It’s been
a big roller coaster, but I think it’s made us
stronger as a family overall.”
For more information about Ian’s
situation, or to donate to his fund through PayPal,
visit www.geocities.com/hope4ianhealy.
West Akron resident Ian Healy, 3, whose kidneys only function at 3 percent capacity, is facing the possibility of a kidney transplant this year. As a result, his family is facing the possibility of a huge financial hardship, as his mother, Judith, plans to be the donor.
Photo courtesy of Louis Petit
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