Health
Family pleads for kidney donor as teen’s health declines: ‘We need help’
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A New Jersey family is desperately seeking a living donor to save Thaddeus Giansanti, an eighth-grader who was born with kidney disease.
Thaddeus has had multiple surgeries throughout his 13 years, including one to remove a kidney as a baby.
Despite his struggles, he has remained positive and optimistic, his parents shared with Fox News Digital.
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“His remaining kidney is now failing,” said his father, Carlo Giansanti. “We are not a match, so now we’re asking for help from the community.”
The family first found out about their son’s kidney disease before he was born, when an ultrasound detected a potential issue.
Christa DeMark and Carlo Giansanti are pictured with their son Thaddeus, who has battled kidney disease his entire life. (Christa DeMark)
“It was nothing alarming at that point — it looked like he had extra fluid when he was born,” Thaddeus’ mother, Christa DeMark, told Fox News Digital. “Everything seemed normal, but right before we were leaving, they noticed an elevated creatinine number (a measure of kidney function in blood tests) that led to us being in touch with nephrology.”
She added, “There was something wrong with the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder) and the formation of the kidneys.”
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Thaddeus spent an extended period of time in the NICU, where he had multiple procedures. Before he was even 5 months old, he underwent a left nephrectomy to remove his left kidney.
His remaining kidney was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, which has required lifelong medications.
“He’s been with nephrology and nephrologists his entire life, and up until last year, everything’s been stable, but that’s been slowly changing,” DeMark said. “He’s getting bigger, and it’s been putting more stress on his remaining kidney.”
Thaddeus, now 13, has had multiple surgeries throughout his life, including one to remove his kidney as a baby. (Christa DeMark)
Doctors informed the family that their best course of action would be to find a living donor.
“Everything’s been sped up based on his bloodwork lately,” DeMark said. “So it’s looking like we need something quicker than we thought, which is why we’re looking for living donors.”
“It has pushed us to rely on faith in a way that’s very palpable — we are just coming together as a family and taking each day as it comes.”
If Thaddeus does not receive a kidney transplant within a couple of weeks, he will need to be put on dialysis, according to his doctors.
“It’s obviously been challenging for him,” DeMark said. “He’s dealing with it very well, but these are difficult situations we’re navigating.”
His parents describe Thaddeus as a smart, outgoing boy — a straight-A student who was recently awarded multiple scholarships for next year, when he will become a high-school freshman.
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Thaddeus is very athletic and enjoys playing soccer, golfing and fencing. He also plays piano and often volunteers in his community, including being an altar server and working with the local food pantry.
“He loves his family, and loves doing things with his family,” DeMark said. “He’s just a great kid.”
The boy’s remaining kidney is failing, and his family is asking the community to help find a life-saving donor. (Christa DeMark)
Thaddeus’ parents said they have not shared much about their son’s medical condition until now. “We wanted Thad to just be the bright, happy person that he is, so we’ve minimized it for years,” DeMark said.
But in the last couple of weeks, as their son’s condition has become more dire, they have started to speak out about their situation.
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“We never expected to have such an outpouring of people who cared or people trying to help — it’s been incredibly humbling,” DeMark said.
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“It has pushed us to rely on faith in a way that’s very palpable — we are just coming together as a family and taking each day as it comes,” she went on. “We are remaining hopeful because we know there’s a solution to this problem. We just need help.”
“The miracle Thad needs right now is people who have the ability to step up,” his mother said. “He is a great kid, a kind kid.” (Christa DeMark)
To be considered for the donation program, kidney donors must be 45 or younger, have a BMI under 30 and match Thaddeus’ O blood type.
For those who are considering becoming donors, DeMark emphasized that it entails a laparoscopic procedure with a “fairly quick” healing process that is covered by their insurance, not the donor’s.
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“The miracle Thad needs right now is people who have the ability to step up,” she added. “He is a great kid, a kind kid.”
Those interested in being considered as a donor can complete this Kidney Transplant Living Donor Questionnaire.
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Simple measurements taken during routine blood pressure checks could predict dementia risk years before symptoms appear.
That’s according to new research presented this week at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in Louisiana.
The findings draw on two studies led by researchers at Georgetown University, which suggest that monitoring how blood vessels age and stiffen over time can provide a window into future cognitive health.
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Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age, and half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure (hypertension).
Scientists believe that efforts to better address hypertension, a key contributor to heart disease and a risk factor for dementia, could affect both cardiac and brain health.
Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age. Meanwhile, half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. (iStock)
“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health,” Dr. Newton Nyirenda, the study’s lead author and an epidemiologist at Georgetown University in Washington, said in a press release.
The research focused on two metrics, the pulse pressure-heart rate index and estimated pulse wave velocity. Both were calculated using data collected during standard doctor visits, such as heart rate, age and blood pressure.
“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health.”
Researchers examined five years of data patterns for more than 8,500 people in the SPRINT trial, a large study of adults 50 years and older with hypertension. In the follow-up, 323 of the participants developed probable dementia.
HIDDEN BRAIN CONDITION MAY QUADRUPLE DEMENTIA RISK IN OLDER ADULTS, STUDY SUGGESTS
In one study, the team found the pulse pressure-heart rate index was a strong independent predictor of dementia risk in adults over 50. For participants under 65, every one-unit increase was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia.
For participants under 65, an increase in the pulse pressure-heart rate index was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia. (iStock)
The second study found that adults with consistently elevated or rapidly increasing pulse wave velocity were more likely to develop dementia than those with stable velocity, even after accounting for factors like smoking, gender and cardiovascular history.
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“Our findings suggest that vascular aging patterns may provide meaningful insight into future dementia risk,” said Nyirenda. “This reinforces the idea that managing vascular health earlier in life may influence long-term brain health.”
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The team emphasized that clinicians should tailor risk assessments and treatment strategies to the individual.
Further studies are needed to confirm these parameters and determine whether changing vascular aging trajectories reduces dementia risk. (iStock)
“You don’t want to wait until a patient starts manifesting cognitive decline before you act,” said senior study author Sula Mazimba, an associate professor at the University of Virginia.
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Researchers noted the study could not establish causation. Other limitations included the fact that participants already had hypertension and elevated cardiovascular risk, meaning the findings may not apply to people without those conditions.
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Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether improving blood vessel health over time could reduce dementia risk.
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