Karen Rhodes and Paul Rybkin’s son, due to a rare polycystic kidney disease (PKD), had only 36 hours to live. The cysts that grow in the kidneys because of this can cause kidney failure.
In 2013, when the couple had another child, they were thrilled. But sadly, Maddy was born with the same illness as her brother.
The scared parents searched for a way to give their daughter a long, happy life. They wouldn’t accept that this disease might take their second child. After two years of struggle, Maddy’s father finally found a way to give her a shot at life.
For the first year and a half, Maddy was often with doctors. She needed oxygen and breathing tubes. Because of the illness, her stomach was always big.