April is National Donate Life Month, and the need for organ donations is extraordinary. In 2020, 183,690 men, women, and children were registered on the United States transplant waiting list. Every nine minutes, another person is added to this list. The good news is we can all help. Visit midamericantransplant.org for more information on organ donation or how you can become a donor.
At Parkland Health Center, we’re raising awareness about the importance of organ donation – both living and deceased – and how one person’s donation can be the ultimate gift that saves someone else’s life.
That was the case with Gabrielle "Gaby" McCutcheon, 21, who works as an ER tech at Parkland Health Center in Farmington. She volunteered to become a living donor, giving one of her kidneys to a family friend – 5-year-old Charlie Erbland – who was born with stage 5 renal failure due to posterior urethral valve (PUV) disorder, which affects the urethra, bladder, and kidneys. In advanced cases, a kidney transplant is often necessary.
Charlie’s Diagnosis and Dialysis
There were signs at Charlie’s 20-week gestational ultrasound that there might be an issue when his bladder looked exceptionally large compared to his other organs. His mom, Rachel Erbland, was preparing for the worst, while hoping for the best.
“Within six days of Charlie’s birth, we went from thinking his kidney issues had been resolved and preparing to be discharged from the hospital to finding out that his creatinine levels were up, and he would require peritoneal dialysis,” said Rachel. “We were blindsided to learn that his kidney was only functioning at 5 percent, and he would need dialysis. At that point, our entire world was turned upside down. We spent the next 99 days in the NICU adjusting to this new normal.”
With the love, support, and determination of his entire network – his mom, dad, five siblings, extended family, and a vast community of friends – Charlie navigated the first 5 years of his renal challenges beautifully with very few setbacks. Regardless, his medical team advised Charlie’s parents that a kidney transplant was inevitable.
Turning to a Kidney Transplant
“We knew the transplant road would have its own set of challenges,” said Rachel. “There were lots of concerns we had as well. I always assumed I would donate my kidney, but unfortunately, I wasn’t a match. My husband couldn’t donate either, so we knew we would have to find a donor outside of our family.”
Charlie’s parents met with a transplant team coordinator and got to work, knowing the process could take years. In the meantime, they had no idea that Gaby – a close family friend, who had always been like a big sister to Charlie – was about to offer them the ultimate gift.
Working in the field as an ER tech and an EMT, Gaby has seen firsthand how kidney patients struggled after prolonged dialysis treatment. Some of the patients she encountered had grown weary and bitter after being tethered to this lifesaving machine, day in and day out, clinging to hope for a new kidney. So, when Gaby learned that Charlie would need a kidney transplant, she wanted to do something to help.
“Given what I saw with the adults on dialysis, I couldn’t imagine what Charlie was going through as a kid,” said Gaby. “Dialysis is all he’s ever known. It just didn’t seem fair. I also knew we had the same blood type, so I figured it was worth a shot to see if we were a match.”
The Screening Process
Gaby also understood the importance of living donor kidneys, which are generally preferred because they last longer than deceased donor kidneys since they are outside the recipient’s body for less time compared to deceased donor kidneys. She felt she could make a difference for Charlie, so she approached his family in May 2021 and offered to get screened.
Becoming a living kidney donor is an arduous, time-consuming process, requiring multiple visits, bloodwork assessments and countless questionnaires to determine eligibility and compatibility, while also ensuring that the donor understands the risks involved.
“I know it may seem daunting to become a living kidney donor, but for me, it was totally worth it,” said Gaby. “I probably made 10 to 12 trips to St. Louis from August through December 2021, but if it meant Charlie could get to live a normal life and do whatever activity he wants, then that was enough of a reason for me.”
A Perfect Match
In September 2021, Gaby learned she was a match for Charlie. For Charlie’s parents, the news that their son would actually be getting this gift was hard to fathom. They were excited, anxious and a little terrified about this next chapter.
“Transplant is not an easy process – physically and emotionally – for the donor and the recipient,” said Rachel. “We had adapted so well to his dialysis schedule, so getting a new kidney would be uncharted territory for us. We knew there were no guarantees this would even work. We were concerned for Gaby, too, and how this surgery might affect her.”
The Transplant
The morning of the surgery, Gaby arrived very early to prepare for her six-hour surgery. Charlie was ready, too, arriving in a toddler-sized tuxedo that he chose for this very special occasion.
The kidney transplant team started Gaby’s surgery, removing her left kidney, and quickly transferring it to Charlie. His surgery took nearly five hours, but his new kidney started working immediately.
A Challenging Recovery
Both Gaby and Charlie dealt with pain and soreness, which is common post-transplant. Two days later, Gaby was discharged home under the care of her younger sister, who agreed to stay with her and monitor her recovery.
“I was an emotional wreck those first few days, worried about everything that could possibly go wrong,” said Gaby. “I was also anxious to see Charlie.”
Charlie was amazed to see that his tube, which had been with him his entire life, was finally gone, opening the door to new experiences and freedoms he’d never known. He stayed at the hospital for nearly three weeks (six of those days in the pediatric intensive care unit), while the medical team monitored his labs and checked that his new kidney was functioning properly.
“We’ve been told it may take up to one year for Charlie’s body to adjust to his new kidney and the anti-rejection medication,” said Rachel. “Keep in mind, he went from taking four daily medications prior to his kidney transplant to 14 medications.”
Charlie was finally able to visit Gaby shortly after he returned home. Their reunion was highly emotional and incredibly rewarding.
“It was thrilling to get to see Charlie without his tube and moving around with so much more energy,” said Gaby. “He also knew that he had my kidney, which was pretty special.”
Gaby’s at-home recovery has taken some time as well. She is moving around much better and recently returned to her job – six weeks post-surgery – as an ER tech at Parkland Health Center. Following her doctor’s orders, she’s currently working light duty shifts until she is fully recovered.
“I’m just so happy to be back at work. I’ve really missed my job and coworkers,” said Gaby. “I’m also trying to be mindful about not overdoing it. But, every day, it’s getting a little bit easier.”
A New Chapter and Newfound Freedoms
Everyone is thrilled to see how well Charlie’s been doing, just two months post-transplant. He still has some hurdles to overcome, but his vast network of support remains hopeful. For Gaby, she has no regrets and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. She also encourages anyone considering becoming an organ donor – either living or deceased – to do it.
“My ultimate motivation was that even if Charlie gets three to five years out of this kidney, that’s better than none,” said Gaby. “He gets to have a life and do whatever he wants to do. For living donors, the screening process is very time-consuming, but it really is worth it. I would encourage people to stick with it and realize the significance of the gift you’re giving to someone else.”
For Rachel, she finds satisfaction with watching Charlie enjoy his newfound freedom.
“Charlie’s greatest thing right now is that he can take a bath, lay on his stomach, and go swimming. He’s even excited to have family sleepovers on the living room floor since he’s no longer connected to his dialysis machine at night,” said Rachel. “I’m still cautious about the future because I know nothing is guaranteed. But he’s happy, healthy, and has quality of life, so that’s what keeps us going. We’ll take each day and challenge as it comes.”
Rachel is still in awe of Gaby and the gift she has given Charlie and his family.
“I don’t think telling Gaby ‘Thank you’ will ever be enough. She’s given Charlie the greatest gift a human can give another person,” said Rachel. “Charlie has loved Gaby for these last three years like she was his own sister. And now they’ll be connected for the rest of their lives.”
Register to Give the Ultimate Gift
If you’re interested in becoming an organ donor – living or deceased – please visit www.midamericatransplant.org for more information or to add yourself to the donor registry. With thousands and thousands of people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, you can offer hope and a lifesaving gift to these patients and their families, just like Gaby did for Charlie and the Erbland family.