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A SUN PRAIRIE TODDLER IN NEED OF
A LIFE-SAVING TRANSPLANT IS
GETTING THE ORGAN DONATION HE
NEEDS WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM
HIS DAD. NBC15'S LAUREN WINFREY
EXPLAINS MORE ABOUT RIGBY GANZ
AND THE ILLNESS HIS PARENTS ARE
WORKING HARD TO HELP HIM
OVERCOME.
SAIRA --
RIGBY IS JUST SHY OF TWO YEARS
OLD AND HE'S STUGGLED WITH AN
ADVANCED STAGE OF KIDNEY DISEASE
SINCE BIRTH. BASICALLY HIS
KIDNEYS HAVE LOST THEIR ABILITY
TO DO THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY, BUT
HE'LL NOW HAVE A CHANCE AT A
HEALTHIER FUTURE ONCE HIS
TRANSPLANT IS COMPLETE.
"HAND IT TO DADA... GOOD JOB
BUBA..."
RIGBY GANZ ISN'T YOUR AVERAGE
TODDLER... HE DOESN'T EAT APPLE
SAUCE OR GRAHAM CRACKERS... AND
HE HAS A HARD TIME WALKING
WITHOUT A LITTLE HELP.
"I FELT LIKE MY WORLD FELL OUT
FROM
UNDERNEATH ME. IT WAS THE MOST
HEARTBREAKING EXPERIENCE TO BE
TOLD
SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH YOUR
CHILD AND THEN SECOND TO THAT,
THAT YOUR CHILD MIGHT NOT LIVE."
BORN IN AUGUST OF 2014 --RIGBY
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE V
(FIVE) RENAL FAILURE AND DOCTORS
RECOMMENDED A
KIDNEY TRANSPLANT THAT COULD
SAVE HIS LIFE.
"I WISH I COULD BE THE ONE THAT
HAD THE PRUNE
BELLY SYNDROME. I WISH THAT I
COULD JUST TAKE IT AWAY FROM
RIGBY. HE WOULD BE HEALTHY AND I
WOULD BE THE ONE WHO'S SICK."
RIGBY'S FATHER, NICK, SAYS HIS
PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED WHEN
HE WAS IDENTIFIED AS A
COMPATIBLE ORGAN DONOR.
"PLEASE GOD LET ONE OF US BE A
MATCH.
SOMETHING WHERE WE KNOW WHO IT
IS SO THERE'S NOT THAT FEAR OF
'OH, THEY MAY BACK
OUT, OR...' I KNOW FOR SURE I'M
COMMITTED TO IT BECAUSE I'D DO
ANYTHING FOR HIM."
THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF RIGBY'S
ILLNESS TAKES A TOLL ON
THE FAMILY, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP
THEM FROM DOING ALL THEY CAN TO
HELP THEIR LITTLE BABY BOY.
"THIS IS WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO FOR
YOU... IT'S A
GREAT GIFT. I HOPE HE
APPRECIATES IT IN THE FUTURE."
AND A FUTURE IS EXACTLY WHAT THE
GANZ ARE TRYING TO GIVE THEIR
SON
--EACH DAY, IN EVERY WAY...
THE GANZ ARE WORKING WITH THE
CHILDREN'S ORGAN
TRANSPLANT ASSOCIATION --A
NATIONAL CHARITY DEDICATED TO
HELPING LOCAL COMMUNITIES RAISE
MONEY FOR TRANSPLANT-
RELATED EXPENSES.
AN ESTIMATED 40 THOUSAND DOLLARS
IS BEING RAISED BY SUN
PRAIRIE VOLUNTEERS.