Local miracle match kidney transplant to take place Monday
UPDATE 7/30/2017:
The Castleberry family received good news Sunday morning. Doctors have confirmed they have given final approval for the organ transplant to take place on Monday.
A former Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy and her family have been through a long medical journey. On Monday, it could all be over.
News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado sat down with Angelina Castleberry. She’s the mother of three-year-old, Matthew, who will soon be getting a long awaited kidney transplant.
“It’s a big week. A big, big week. I’m excited, I’m just in awe that it’s finally happening,” Castleberry said.
Matthew Castleberry looks like your average 3-year-old. What you can’t see, is his life-long battle with a congenital condition, causing irreversible damage to the bladder and kidneys.
Matthew visits Loma Linda four to five days of the week for dialysis.
“That catheter is his life line and when that doesn’t work, its frightening, you know, emergency surgeries and [doctors] jump him in there and work, but the last couple months he’s missed four kidneys, chances to get those. We’ve been postponed for surgery in the last three weeks, two times,” Castleberry said.
After 14 surgeries and years of searching for a rare kidney match, earlier this month, Matthew’s mom, Angelina Castleberry’s former co-worker, Deputy Alicia Lopez, with the Palm Desert Riverside County Sheriff’s Office answered their call.
WATCH: Sheriff’s deputy set to donate kidney to former co-worker’s 3-year-old son
“For years we’ve prayed for her, and for her kidney, and we had no idea it was her. And she’s been there the whole time. She’s come to visit Matthew in the hospital to see how he is, and me, and now she’s going to save his life. I’m so grateful and I’m so thankful for her,” Castleberry said.
The transplant is scheduled for Monday, but Sunday the Castleberry’s will get a final clearance.
“There are no words to describe the joy that my son’s going to live and that right there is everything. That’s all we’ve ever wanted, was for him to have a chance, for somebody to save his life, and somebody is,” Castleberry said.
