Superior tot may get needed transplant

A Superior tyke has a new hero in his life.

Eighteen-month-old Jackson Beattie was born with kidney damage and — despite four operations and constant medications — he needs a new kidney as soon as possible.

His cousin has stepped in to donate one. According to the family’s Facebook site, “Hope for Jackson Beattie” the transplant is scheduled for July 12.

“Jackson’s superhero is his 20-year-old cousin Brett Beattie,” the family wrote on the Facebook site. “This means Jackson will probably be getting the best kidney he could ever get!!!”

Brett Beattie will be a junior at Iowa State this fall and is majoring in civil engineering.

“We are truly grateful and still can’t believe how extremely lucky Jackson is to have Brett in his life,” the family posted.

Jackson was featured in news broadcasts and a Duluth News Tribune story prior to the annual Duluth Kidney Walk last month.

The “Keeping it Renal” team, consisting of the boy’s family and friends, raised $19,002.13 for the event. The tot’s big sister Brooklyn, 8, was listed as one of the top 25 individual donors nationwide. Money raised from the walk will support a free kidney health screening in Duluth on Sept. 25, early detection programs, research, professional and patient education, and organ donation advocacy.

Although the July 12 transplant is scheduled, it isn’t a certainty. Two other donors have offered to give Jackson a kidney. But after being evaluated and approved, they got rejected because Jackson had developed more antibodies. The Beattie family is hopeful that this transplant will go through.

“The good thing is that is antibodies are so high now, they can’t get much higher,” the family posted. They gave thanks to all the people who kept Jackson in their thoughts and prayers as well as a number of people who called in and got tested, hoping to offer their kidney to the tot.

The family will continue to post updates on Facebook.

Tags: news, family, health, money