Kidney Transplant: Yona’s Story
Meet Yona
For most teenagers, an 18th birthday is a celebration of independence and new beginnings. For Yona, it became something far more meaningful. On the day he officially became an adult, Yona also received a new kidney at Children’s Mercy, a life-changing gift that opened the door to a healthier future.
Yona’s journey to that moment began years earlier and thousands of miles away as he and his family spent much of his childhood living in Tanzania. Around the age of eight or nine, Yona began experiencing serious health issues. His family soon learned his kidneys were failing, and access to lifesaving care was limited. What followed was a complex and emotional journey that eventually brought Yona and his family to the United States in search of treatment and hope.
A new chapter of care
After arriving in the U.S., Yona began dialysis, first in Arizona and later in Kansas City, Mo., at Children’s Mercy. Here, Yona entered a new chapter of care, supported by a multidisciplinary team that would come to know him well and prepare him for a kidney transplant. For more than a year, dialysis three days a week, managing medications and following a strict diet became part of his weekly routine, shaping his days and limiting many of the things most teenagers take for granted.
“That’s a lot of changes for anyone, especially a teenager,” said Bradley Warady, MD, Medical Director of Dialysis at Children’s Mercy and Yona’s nephrologist. “Yona had to adapt to a new normal; a chronic illness, regular dialysis treatments, the need to take a variety of medications and major lifestyle changes. He handled it with remarkable resilience.”
A soccer surprise
Before dialysis, Yona was an avid soccer player. The sport gave him joy, energy and a sense of connection. Over time, his health made it harder to stay active, but his love for the game never faded. His care team noticed. During a hospital visit last year from some professional soccer players, our dialysis team made sure that Yona had a clinic appointment that day so the players could stop by to surprise him. The moment was unforgettable for Yona and reflected how deeply his dialysis team understood and cared about him as a person, not just a patient.
According to Dr. Warady, Yona’s outlook has made a lasting impression on everyone who has cared for him. “He’s got a terrific personality. He’s a terrific kid,” Dr. Warady said. “People really rallied around him because we all knew the best thing for Yona was to get off dialysis and receive a kidney.”
Yona and his family hold his entire care team in high regard, especially the nurses. “We’re a fan of all the nurses,” said Yona. “They’re all amazing!”
The best gift
The moment they’d been waiting for arrived in February, when a deceased donor kidney became available and proved to be a match. The surgery was scheduled for the next day, which happened to be Yona’s 18th birthday.
“It was very exciting,” Yona said. “All I kept thinking was that I would finally be off the dialysis machine. I could finally do basic things again.”
Today, Yona is recovering well and finishing his senior year of high school. He’s looking ahead to attending a local community college in the fall, taking the next step toward independence and discovering what he wants his future to hold. For now, he’s looking forward to enjoying simple pleasures that once felt out of reach, like swimming.
When asked what he loves most, Yona didn’t hesitate. “My niece,” he said. His baby niece is named after his mother, the woman Yona credits as being a constant source of support throughout his journey in the past and still today.
This birthday will always be a special one for Yona. Not because of candles or cake, but because it marked the beginning of a new chapter — one filled with health, hope and the freedom to imagine what comes next.