Every parent dreams of watching their children grow up healthy and happy, cherishing a joyful childhood. For Karen Rodas and Paul Bybkin, the arrival of their son Nathaniel was a bittersweet moment. Their beloved son survived just 36 hours due to Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). This condition affects the kidneys, causing cysts that often result in kidney failure, as it did with baby Nathaniel.

In 2013, Karen and Paul welcomed a daughter, Maddy, into their lives. This time they were full of optimism. However, their dreams were shattered when they learned Maddy was diagnosed with the same condition that claimed her brother. Maddy’s tiny belly was swollen so much that it looked like a nine-month pregnant woman’s belly, leaving her parents devastated.

Hope was just around the corner, though, when Maddy’s father decided to donate one of his kidneys, giving his daughter a new chance at life.

Before this crucial surgery, Maddy’s young life revolved around hospitals, and her condition made her sleep up to 18 hours daily.

The family anxiously waited, knowing that Maddy’s future depended on finding a kidney donor match.