Author: Grace Ditzler, Multimedia Journalist, graced@kxly.com Published On: Dec 09 2014 11:54:44 PM PST Updated On: Dec 10 2014 12:12:18 AM PST
AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. –
A young girl’s life has been turned upside down from illness. Now she has a chance to get better, but her family needs the public’s help.
The Harris family has been through the wringer when it comes to family health problems. They have a son with special needs, and the dad recently medically retired from the Airforce. Now, their youngest daughter, Maddyson, needs a new kidney.
7 year-old Maddyson may look and act like any other energetic first-grader, but nine months ago, her life was turned upside down.
“We were actually thrown into Maddyson’s illness,” her mother Tabitha explained. “She was diagnosed March 19, 2014 with end-stage kidney disease and congestive heart failure and is requiring dialysis for three days a week for three and a half hours until she receives a transplant.”
For Maddyson, the experience has been tough.
“Why don’t you like it?” Tabitha asked.
“Because I’m scared,” Maddyson replied.
Since her diagnosis, the whole family dynamic has changed, from the seemingly simple things like where the family can eat or play, to the more serious, like unexpected medical expenses. .
But soon, as early as this spring, Maddyson could get a new kidney. Maddyson and her dad, Keith, will live in Seattle while she has her surgery and recovers, and her mother will stay home with the three other kids.
“It’s going to be hard,” Keith said. “I had enough problems being away from my wife and kids as I was being deployed all the time.”
And the family explained being away from Maddyson for so long with be hard, but they are eager for the opportunity for their daughter and sister to get a new lease on life.
“My Christmas wish is that she will get better,” her brother Trystan said.
The Harris family is working with the non-profit COTA to help raise money for the family’s medical expenses during Maddyson’s transplant and ongoing care.
You can help raise money for the family. On December 17, COTA will host a pizza fundraiser night on two Papa Murphy’s locations: 2418 W. Northwest Blvd., and 1530 E. Francis Ave.
Papa Murphy’s will donate 15 percent of all food sales that day to help raise funds for COTA in honor of Maddyson.
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