Anita provided her son Kyler the most precious gift of her kidney. “Giving my child the gift of life ‘twice’ is something I will always cherish as a mom,” Anita offered. “I was blessed to have the opportunity to be his donor.”
Kyler Strotz is a talented student at West Branch High School. He gets good grades, plays sports and loves the outdoors. Kidney disease temporarily sidelined Kyler – until his mom Anita provided a life-saving gift.
“We didn’t know Kyler had any issues at all; his kidney problems were the silent type,” Anita recalled. “The summer before he started high school, July 2014, his sports physical revealed his blood pressure was unusually high. The school doctor referred us to Kyler’s primary care physician at Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics, Alliance. Preliminary testing showed there might be an underlying issue.”
Kyler’s mature mindset had him ready for any scenario. “I live my life so that I am prepared to handle whatever comes,” he said. “No matter what the diagnosis, I was prepared to roll with the punches.”
Kyler, No. 72, has started every game this season for West Branch High School.
Upon being referred to Akron Children’s Hospital Nephrology, Kyler underwent more tests and a kidney biopsy. “It was all very fast, in an effort to find the issue and perhaps slow the progression of it,” Anita said. “Kyler was diagnosed with a kidney disease called C1q nephropathy, in which a large amount of protein is lost in the urine, and FSGS that causes kidney scarring. We were told he’d need a kidney transplant before he finished high school.”
Kyler maintained his good grades and played football his freshman year. He looked, felt and acted like a typical teen – not someone who faced a life-threatening disease. “This was the first serious condition for us as a family to deal with, and we were unsure how to handle it at first,” Anita shared. “But Kyler’s nephrologist, Dr. Shefali Mahesh, gave us confidence that this was not an end-of-the-world situation.”
His sophomore year, Kyler’s energy level declined and he began missing more days of school. He refused to give up football, playing JV and varsity even though his kidneys functioned at less than 20 percent. “As time went on, he required more lab work, tests and hospitalizations,” Anita said. “In March 2016, he started dialysis three days a week. Those days were long, but extremely necessary. Throughout this entire journey, my husband and I tried to be flexible enough to account for Kyler’s medical care while maintaining the stability of routine for his two younger siblings. Some days were tougher than others.”
Since Kyler’s initial diagnosis, the Strotz family knew a kidney transplant was on the horizon. That day came in May 2016, and his mom provided the most precious gift of her kidney. “Giving my child the gift of life ‘twice’ is something I will always cherish as a mom,” Anita offered. “I was blessed to have the opportunity to be his donor.”
Kyler underwent the transplant surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “The teamwork between Akron Children’s and Cincinnati was amazing,” Anita said. “They coordinated all of the details and made our transplant as straightforward as possible.”
Anita and Kyler recuperated from surgery in the hospital together. “He was a champ, walking down the hall to my room the day after surgery, while I couldn’t even get out of bed,” she recalled. “We were hospitalized over Mother’s Day, and our transplant experience gave new meaning to that special day.”
Jacek and Gianna look up to their big brother, Kyler.
The Strotz family’s “new normal” included an intense medication schedule for Kyler and a multitude of follow-up visits at Akron Children’s Hospital. His current care plan includes time-sensitive prescriptions, a daily goal of fluid intake, monthly visits to the nephrology department for general checkups and lab work, and standard transplant protocol of X-rays and tests at certain intervals. “We also monitor his blood pressure at home periodically, and he’s taken it upon himself to watch what he eats very carefully,” Anita said. “We notify Dr. Mahesh of any changes in his health such as flu-like symptoms, rashes or prescription side effects. We keep in constant communication via Akron Children’s MyChart application.”
Although the past three years have challenged the Strotz family, Anita said they have grown from the experience. She credits friends, relatives and the Akron Children’s Hospital team with helping the family throughout this journey. “Dr. Mahesh and each member of Kyler’s Akron team have been wonderful. We had a lot of questions, and they never made us feel uneasy about asking,” Anita said. “Kyler’s primary care doctor, Laurie Penix, has also been instrumental in keeping up with Kyler’s chart history and accommodating us quickly if we need to stop in for a special immunization or something minor. Through an uncertain time, they’ve all helped to lessen the stress – and now they seem like extended family.”
Before this experience, Anita hadn’t given much thought to organ donation. Now she’s an advocate, after seeing first-hand how organ donation saves lives. She and other community members organized an awareness event Oct. 13 at a West Branch High School football game. “We not only honored local families who’ve been affected by kidney disease and/or organ donation, but we used the event to get more conversations started,” she explained. “We want people to ask questions, make educated decisions and, ultimately, save more lives.”
Kyler had to give up wrestling after the transplant, but after careful consideration and special protective gear, he continues playing football. “I play left guard on offense, and it feels fantastic to be back on the field again with my team,” he said. “As I recovered from the transplant, I hated standing on the sideline doing nothing.”
Upon graduation from high school, Kyler plans to attend a four-year college and major in mechanical engineering. “His determination to overcome adversity makes him a role model, on and off the football field,” Anita said. “He’s an inspiration in more ways than he may ever know.”
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