From the moment Patricia was born, she battled kidney disease. Growing up, she lived with consistent infections, and she had her first surgery at 2 years old. When she moved to the U.S. from Venezuela in 2015, she was on a strict steroid treatment that was enough to keep her standard of living high. In 2019, however, she had a major relapse. Her care team was very clear: She needed to begin dialysis immediately. And she would need a new kidney.
"I had always feared dialysis and was honestly terrified, but I quickly realized that this is what I needed for healing on my journey to get my transplant," said Patricia.
She was several months into her dialysis treatment and was at a training at the dialysis center when she received a call from BMC.
"I will never forget that moment. I answered the phone and that was it — I was getting a new kidney," she remembers. "The woman who called me spoke to me in Spanish and answered all my questions."
Patricia received the call that there was a deceased donor who was a match. That life-changing call was at 10 a.m., and by immediately she was getting prepped for surgery at noon.
"I don't have any family in Boston, and since it was such short notice, none of my out-of-town relatives could come in for my transplant. My BMC providers became my family that day. They guided me and cared for me. Dr. Sarah Meade is my hero, and I will never forget the care she gave me and her patience in answering all of my questions. She treated me as if I was her own sister, and I felt comfortable she was helping me make the best decision."
I don't have any family in Boston, and since it was such short notice, none of my out-of-town relatives could come in for my transplant. My BMC providers became my family that day. They guided me and cared for me.
“The BMC transplant team is honored to have the privilege to care for Patricia,” says Dr. Meade, “and we wish her a lifetime of happiness and health.”