A 6-year-old boy from Overland Park is currently facing the challenging wait for a life-changing miracle as he bravely battles a kidney disease.
Owen Cigich, a young boy, has faced numerous challenges throughout his life due to a kidney condition he was born with. However, despite these hardships, Owen’s mother, Kathleen, attests that he embraces life to the fullest.
“Owen brings so much joy into our lives,” Kathleen exclaimed. “He has an incredible sense of humor that brightens up even the gloomiest of moments. Whenever he accompanies us to his hospital appointments, his contagious laughter fills the room, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.”
Owen, who was born prematurely at 36 weeks, faced the challenges of underdeveloped lungs and kidney damage. Now a six-year-old, he is battling Stage 4 end stage renal disease, a situation that no new mother ever wants to face.
Kathleen expressed her belief that the trauma they experienced during the 30-week ultrasound is still affecting them. She also mentioned that the ongoing news about the situation not being ideal is adding to their distress.
Owen and his family have experienced a challenging journey filled with hospital stays and various treatment plans. They have witnessed the ups and downs of managing his illness. Unfortunately, Owen’s kidney function is deteriorating, leaving a kidney transplant as his sole viable solution.
Kathleen expressed her anticipation for the kidney transplant, stating that it would bring about a significant change in Owen’s life. She admitted that she never expected her family to be in a situation where they would be waiting for a kidney.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, finding a match for a kidney transplant is not a straightforward process. The average wait time can range from three to five years, and only time will tell, as Kathleen said.
Cigich, filled with anticipation, expressed, “We are eagerly awaiting that phone call. There is a long queue of individuals anxiously waiting for various organs. Therefore, anyone who donates to someone other than Owen is truly saving a life.”
Two years ago, during an evaluation, doctors made a shocking discovery that shattered the sense of normalcy for Owen and his parents. They found a tumor in his liver, leading to a diagnosis of a rare pediatric liver cancer.
Kathleen expressed that their parenting journey has been quite different from their initial expectations. They have learned to take each day as it comes, adapting and adjusting along the way.
Today, Owen has successfully beaten cancer and now the Cigich family eagerly awaits a miracle kidney match. According to Kathleen, this is a battle they are determined to face head-on, taking it one day at a time.
“It’s truly incredible,” reflected Cigich, as he recounted the journey that began seven years ago. “At just seven days old, I had resigned myself to the fact that our time was running out. Yet, against all odds, here we stand today, seven years later, without the need for a transplant. It’s nothing short of a miracle in every sense of the word.”
