Daughter Still In Dire Need Of Kidney Transplant

The month of March is globally recognized as International Women’s Month, but it is also the month of Kidney Awareness. During this time, various health organizations host campaigns to share information regarding kidney health and shed light on those suffering from various conditions that affect the kidney. Last year, we told you the story of Vicky Samos, a fourteen-year-old student battling Lupus and End Stage Renal Disease, hoping to get a kidney transplant soon. One year later, Vicky is still on dialysis and still holding out hope for that transplant. News Five’s Britney Gordon visited Vicky and her family today, for an update on her condition. Here’s that story.

 

Vicky Samos, Kidney Patient

“Well, there is some days I wake up not feeling good, like tired and without energy, but I try my best to stay strong.”

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

It’s been one year since fifteen-year-old Vicky Samos started dialysis. According to the teenager, her body has been responding well to the treatment but there are still days when she feels tired and in pain. For the past two days, the second form student has had to miss classes due to her condition and rising blood pressure and throughout it all, her parents have been there to support her.

 

Diego Samos, Father of Patient

“I have been doing my best to get Vicky well. We’re aiming to get her a kidney transplant. She has been diagnosed with lupus, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks its own body. In her case, it attacked her, it attacked her, both of her kidneys. Yes and that eventually led to the kidney failure.”

 

Last year, her father, Diego Samos, said that he would be the one to donate a kidney to save his daughter’s life if the doctors found that he was a match. Luckily, they did.

 

Diego Samos

“We have made tremendous progress. We went to Merida last year in December. We went and we did a compatibility test, a cross match test, and I came out that I am a match for her.  So we have been following up the kidney transplant protocol, which entails different doctors. We have seen the cardiologists, the dentists, different doctors, and all of them have cleared us. Just a couple of them we have to see but in other words, we are quite ready for a kidney transplant.”

 

While Vicky and her family are ready to go ahead with the procedure, they have encountered some roadblocks, such as the unavailability of the procedure here in Belize. The biggest challenge, however, is money.

 

Diego Samos

“It has never been done here in Belize but there is a team from Virginia that is willing to come to Belize to do the transplant. If we do have the facilities. However, we are still awaiting from the Ministry of Health and from the CEO of Karl Heusner to give us a letter of invitation so the team from Virginia could proceed. I guess because of legal issues and other stuff, you know, they need an official letter from Belize.”

 

Vicky’s mother, Yarheli, said that she’s taken on the role of a personal nurse for her daughter, delivering medication and caring for Vicky when she needs it.

 

Yarheli Samos, Mother of Patient

“Well, it’s a hard process, but we try every day to do well and good, I try to make she eat healthy. Her diet is the most important. And, yes, just keep her, make she be strong every day. Get up and go to school and give her the motivation.”

 

Kidney awareness month not only brings awareness to the patients, but also the families doing their work to support them as well. In this case, Vicky’s parents just want to see their daughter happy and healthy.

 

Diego Samos

“As a parent, it has a very tremendous impact I guess for both of us. It has changed our life completely. We have me personally, now I dedicate my time fully to my, especially to my daughter. And in making sure that she gets well, I make sure that I have the medication, even though it’s very costly. We still do manage to get the medication for her. And like I said, we are doing our best to get this transplant done.  And but it’s very hard, but we have people that are assisting us. I don’t know, so we’re coping. And hoping that we get this kidney transplant done as soon as possible.”

 

Vicky’s biggest hope is for her life to return to normal. Since her diagnosis, she has had to give up playing basketball and has been held back a year from school due to the number of classes she misses. However, she is still retaining her drive towards her dream career.

 

Vicky Samos
“Have a normal life again, like before, go to school normal again, that’s the most Important thing. “I want to major in science in third form. “

 

Britney Gordon

“Why do you want to be a pediatrician?”

 

Vicky Samos

 “Because I love children.”

 

As a preventative measure, Samos advises all parents to get their children tested early for these conditions even if they show no symptoms.

 

Diego Samos

“I would just like to tell the Belizean people to pay keen attention to their children, if you’re feeling ill, if you’re feeling bad, to make sure that they have a doctor check them. Also for all of us adults, children, everyone, we should be taking care of ourselves and if we do have any symptoms, to, to follow it up and not just let time go by because sometimes it’s late, sometimes you could catch things at an early stage.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.