Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

2010 could have been the last Christmas for two-year-old Nathan Saavedra of Carpenterville, Illinois.  Suffering from a rare birth defect known as “Prune Belly Syndrome,” the toddler faced months of dialysis to stave off the deleterious effects of a failing urinary tract and an uncertain future.  Reading about the child’s sad prognosis in the Elgin Courier-News, prompted 38-year-old Chris Doing into “doing” something. Inspired by his own grandmother’s posthumous gift of her organs, Doing contacted  the local hospital to volunteer his kidney for the child.

According to Doing, Fate played a role in his decision. “I read an article that morning about someone donating a kidney to save a boy,” Doing said. “That afternoon, I saw (The Courier-News) article. The story motivated me to get involved.” After learning that five other people had gotten the Saavedra family’s  hopes up and failed to follow through, the Palatine, Illinois man vowed not to disappoint and completed the vigorous screening process.

On October 25th, the surgeries were performed and both patients had good results. Little Nathan had good kidney function for the first time in his life, and Chris Doing made good on  a debt of honor to his grandmother, who had made a similar gift of her organs after her death. “I remember how rewarding it was to get letters from recipients and for something good to come of it,” Doing said.

To the child’s parent, Doing is a hero.  “It was heartbreaking to meet him. I wanted to cry,” Nathan’s mother, Tina Saavedra said. “He told me after seeing Nathan’s face he couldn’t say no.” Doing humbly demurred. “I don’t think of it as an act of heroism. Help was needed, and I was able to help,” Doing said. “I can’t fully explain how or why I was motivated. Just knowing Nathan is doing well was all I was looking for.”

Merry Christmas Nathan Saavedra and Chris Doing. It’s nice to share the same world with you.

Source: Elgin Courier-News

~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger