At the age of 4, Lauryn Mulder was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease known as IgA vasculitis. In the years that followed, she required a variety of medications, frequent blood work and regular clinic visits with her pediatric nephrologists at the UNC Kidney Center. For a while, efforts to preserve her kidney function were successful. But by the fall of 2017, the rapid decline of her kidney function required Lauryn be placed on the kidney transplant waiting list, and family members were evaluated as possible donors. In early 2018, it was necessary that she begin dialysis while she continued to pursue a living donor.
Lauryn tells her story in this video, produced by her stepdad Mike Charbonneau.
Lauryn’s Kidney Transplant from Mike Charbonneau on Vimeo.
More about Lauryn and her journey
Children’s Organ Transplant Association – COTA for Team Lauryn M
WRAL article – “Cary teen in need of transplant gets help from relative”
WRAL High School OT Honors – Vote for Lauryn