Alice's Kidney Journey

Alice is a typical 9-year-old whose personality shines through in the simple things she loves most. A Panera mac-and-cheese enthusiast and tiger lover, Alice is described as a "big feeling kid" who enjoys being active by her parents Lindsay and Don.

But in January 2026 at Alice's annual birthday check-up, a few concerns came up with her pediatrician. Alice hadn’t grown much over the past couple of years and had also adopted some unusual habits, like using the bathroom frequently throughout the night.

When Alice's lab tests came back, the family was told to go straight to the Emergency Department at Children's National and experienced an unnerving 24 hours. A couple of weeks later, it was confirmed for the family that Alice had Stage 5 kidney disease caused by a de novo genetic mutation – a new genetic change that suddenly appears and is not present in the DNA of either parent.

Alice would eventually need a new kidney.

The Nephrology team at Children's National explained that a living kidney donation would be the best option. Neither Lindsay nor Don were the strongest kidney match for their daughter, so while they waited for the right donor to come along, Alice spent six months on outpatient hemodialysis and faced food restrictions. Lindsay remained on standby to donate one of her own kidneys through the Paired Kidney Exchange with the National Kidney Registry, which matches incompatible donor-recipient pairs.

The wait for Alice's perfect match was scary, but the experts supporting the family along the way helped ease the stress and uncertainty, walking them through all the steps and answering every question along the way.

On August 18, while Alice underwent a kidney transplant, Lindsay was simultaneously donating her kidney to someone else at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital just a couple miles away. Don was left to anxiously await a positive report on both his daughter and wife. Still, he took comfort in knowing they were receiving exceptional care from a trusted team of experts.

Alice's kidney came in from Mississippi, while Lindsay's went to a patient in Washington state.

And just nine days later, the family was finally back together and recovering at home. A weight of relief was lifted off Lindsay and Don’s shoulders that day – and Alice's new kidney was starting to make her feel better already.

Today, there is a noticeable difference in Alice. She's sillier and more active, and while getting back on the field with her soccer team will have to wait a little longer, she recently got approved to do some light jogging at home.

Perhaps best of all, Panera mac-and-cheese is back on the menu.