Sara Sheeran

When Tim and Jane Sheeran brought their daughter, Sara, to the hospital due to a bad case of stomach flu, they had no idea what was in store for them.

What began as a trip to the emergency room over concern that the six-year-old was dehydrated, became a two-year bout with a disease that resulted in a kidney transplant for Sara. Although the experience was daunting, Sara made it through with the help of her family and caregivers at Mayo Clinic. Now she's back to enjoying being a kid, as well as offering support to other children who face hospitalization.

Stunning news

When the Sheerans arrived at Saint Marys Hospital — part of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. — Sara had been vomiting excessively and had a high fever. Physicians performed a battery of tests and blood work. After treating Sara for dehydration, they sent the family home with instructions to return in a month for follow-up.

At that follow-up exam, Sara felt fine. But, her doctors discovered a cause for concern. They found that Sara's creatinine level was high, a sign of possible kidney problems. The family was referred to Dawn Milliner, M.D., a Mayo Clinic pediatric nephrologist. After further evaluation, Sara was diagnosed with global glomerulosclerosis, a disease that causes the kidneys to fill with scar tissue and, eventually, leads to kidney failure.

"Before she was diagnosed, Sara didn't have any symptoms relating to her kidneys," says Jane Sheeran. "If it hadn't been for that trip to the hospital because of the flu — which was completely unrelated — we wouldn't have known there was a problem until much later."

Dr. Milliner was able to manage Sara's condition with medication, but only for a limited time. A transplant was in her future; the question was when. "The medications made it so Sara could live a normal life," says Jane. "No dialysis. Nothing slowed her down. The day before she had her transplant, we went rollerblading."

The need for a donor

Within two years of her diagnosis, the disease reduced Sara's kidney function to less than ten percent of normal levels. In May 2003, when Sara was eight years old, the medication that had kept her active and feeling well could no longer hold back the inevitable. The time for a transplant had come.

"When my mom and dad told me I had to have a kidney transplant, at first I was mad because I had to miss school," says Sara. "But, I knew I had to have the transplant, and that I would get through it okay."

Tim and Jane began making preparations for one of them to be Sara's donor. "When we were told to start planning for the transplant, Tim and I just assumed one of us would be donating," says Jane. "We went through the testing and found my blood is type A, Tim is B and Sara is O. Neither of us was a match for her. That was a devastating blow."

Enter Tim's brother, Paul Sheeran. "When Tim and Jane found out that they couldn't donate, a bunch of the family got tested. I was one of the first that matched Sara's blood type," says Paul. "I never questioned whether I would or wouldn't donate. Sara is my goddaughter. If it worked out, I'd do it."

Success all around

With a suitable donor, the Sheerans were able to move forward, and the transplant took place May 15, 2003. After the procedure, Sara remained at Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital for seven days.

"One week in the hospital seemed like a long time. But, the doctors and nurses were great," says Sara. "One nurse even painted my toenails."

Although the transplant was a success, the experience wasn't an easy one for the Sheerans. "Sara did recover quite well considering all she went through. Emotionally, though, it was one of the most difficult things we've ever encountered," says Jane. "But, the staff in the transplant unit was excellent. They were super to Sara, and that's what Tim and I needed to see — people taking good care of her."

For Paul, the process of donating a kidney went smoothly. "They did the operation Thursday, and I went home Saturday," he says. "I rode my motorcycle five days after the surgery, and I was back to work after only a week off."

Since the transplant, both Sara and Paul have enjoyed good health. "They told me the only things I can't do are play professional football or ride bulls," says Sara. "And, I wasn't going to do that anyway."

"If I didn't know they took a kidney, I would never know anything is different at all," says Paul. "At my one-year check-up, my kidney function was high enough that if I had two kidneys, they would still consider me as a donor. Knowing that made me feel at ease."

Helping others

With her transplant behind her, and knowing what it was like to have to stay in the hospital, Sara decided to help other kids in similar situations. She and a friend organized a penny drive at their school in Kasson, Minn., to raise money so they could purchase Beanie Babies™ to be distributed to patients at Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital. The week-long fundraiser netted $800 in pennies, enough to buy 300 of the small stuffed animals. Each will go to a hospitalized child with a tag from Sara that reads, "Hope this friend brings you comfort during your hospital stay."

For Sara's uncle, seeing her involved in this kind of activity is a welcome sight. "Watching her grow and seeing her healthy makes it all worthwhile," says Paul. "My reward is being able to go to her dance recital and see her doing normal kid stuff."

He adds, "Being a kidney donor wasn't that demanding physically. I think if more people knew what it was like, more would be willing to donate. There is such a need out there. I felt lucky to be able to do it, really."