Girl receives kidney after plan for donation takes ironic turn
BY NIKKI KRIZE, WNEP
KELLY TOWNSHIP — Things fell into place rather quickly to Katy Mahon. She went from being on the transplant list with others ahead of her, to getting that new kidney early Tuesday morning.
According to Katy's mom, they were out of options. It was either nine hours of dialysis a night, or a new kidney. Katy has end-stage renal disease, and her kidneys simply stopped working. "When they ran the blood work her kidney function was showing just in the blood that her kidneys weren't doing anything."
A donor was lined up. A family friend, Geo Connolly of Milton. But it was discovered he had a cancerous tumor on his kidney. No transplant, and Connolly is due to have surgery later this week.
Katy's family tells us another donor kidney became available. It didn't match those ahead of Katy on the transplant list, but it was perfect for Katy, and she had the surgery at 2 a.m. Tuesday at Geisinger Medical Center, near Danville.
Since our story aired yesterday, Katy's family says a lot of people came forward to be tested, to possibly be donors. Katy's family wants the message out, that even though Katy has a new kidney, there are still people out there who need help. Be a donor.
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Katy Mahon of Lewisburg likes to play baseball and basketball just like your average 9 year old. But just over one year ago, the Mahon family realized Katy is not average when she was rushed to the hospital.
"When they ran the bloodwork her kidney function was showing just in the blood that her kidneys weren't doing anything," Amy Mahon said.
Katy's mom Amy said her daughter has end-stage renal disease, which means she either needs a new kidney or dialysis to live. Katy gets nine hours of dialysis a night just to survive. That is where Geo Connolly of Milton comes in.
"This little girl stole my heart and I was going to do anything I could to help her," Connolly said.
When Katy's 11-year-old brother Corey joined Geo's summer baseball team near Lewisburg, Geo got to know the Mahon family.
"He is just nice to me and he is my buddy," Katy said.
Geo talked with his family about donating one of his kidneys to Katy. Tests showed he was a perfect match.
"It was almost like it was too good to be true," Connolly said.
Turns out, it was.
The two families were ready to go through with the transplant when earlier this month, Geo got a devastating phone call which would change all of their lives forever.
During Geo's final checkup, doctors found a cancerous tumor on one of his kidneys.
"I was devastated. Not so much for me, but the fact that I could not help this little girl," Connolly said.
"We're both very strongly fighting for lives," Amy said.
Geo says doctors wouldn't have found the tumor had he not tried to donate his kidney.
"I thought I was here to save hers and she turned around and saved mine. I can never repay her," Connolly said.
"He's calling you his life saver. What do you think about that?"
"Good," Katy said.
Geo is scheduled to have surgery later this week to remove the tumor, while Katy is back on the kidney transplant list. The two families say they will be friends forever.
