Logan, age 4, kidney disease
Logan aspires to one day run the family farm. For now, the four-year-old enjoys spending time with his brothers Evan and William. If the menu includes hot dogs or hamburgers, Logan is happy!
In late 2020, Logan woke up with an unusually swollen face. His parents Sarah and Brett rushed him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder that causes your body to pass too much protein in your urine. The following March, Logan stopped responding to treatment and a biopsy revealed scar tissue in the filtering unit of the kidney. This rare condition has no cure, and the family was told all they could do is wait for the organ to fail. “Logan’s swelling got so bad that we were in the hospital at least twice a week for medicine to help get excess fluid off of his poor little body,” Sarah recalled.
Logan’s kidney was removed in March 2022. Two months later his remaining kidney stopped working and doctors diagnosed him with renal failure. Until Logan receives a transplant, he will rely on dialysis for up to 10 hours a day. Currently, he’s awaiting pre-transplant testing and after he receives his transplant, his recovery will take about three months.
“I will always remember where we were when we opened the email announcing Logan is getting a wish,” Sarah said. “I started to cry when I read it as it was something exciting and we needed it.” Logan’s love for amusement park rides and his beloved movie characters inspired his wish to visit his favourite theme park. Logan and his brothers learned about the upcoming wish trip last Christmas. “Hiding that secret for a month was so hard,” Sarah laughed. “The boys were so excited and started a countdown right away.”
The trip took place on January 30 and was an experience the family will never forget. “This wish gave us a little bit of sun on what has been a very stormy couple of years,” Sarah said. The family stayed at Give Kids the World Village, a non-profit resort in Kissimmee, Florida and spent their days exploring the nearby theme parks. Logan still talks about the “scary” rollercoaster he bravely rode. Hope is essential for children with critical illnesses, and its life-changing power is unlocked when wishes like Logan’s are granted.
