Flier inspires kidney donor for girl

ATLANTA --- The picture of the smiling little girl on the flier was more than Laura Bolan could take.

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Associated Press

Eight-year-old Sarah Dickman is readied for kidney transplant surgery at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

After a quick Internet search on kidney transplants and a conversation with her husband, Mrs. Bolan made the phone call that would change her life -- and certainly change 8-year-old Sarah Dickman's life.

The Acworth girl was born with the genetic disease juvenile nephronophthisis, which slowly destroys the kidneys. Without treatment, it can kill a child before the age of 15. Doctors said she needed a healthy kidney quickly.

"It breaks your heart to know there's a little girl sick out there who you could help," Mrs. Bolan, 34, said earlier this week.

The daylong transplant began early Thursday morning with a kidney removed from Mrs. Bolan in a two-hour procedure at Emory University Hospital. A doctor walked the kidney -- stored in a cooler -- through a tunnel and across the street to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston where Sarah was waiting.

"Everything went well," transplant surgeon Thomas Pearson said about 3:30 p.m.

Dr. Pearson said Sarah would be in intensive care for at least 24 hours and then spend another five to seven days at the hospital. That would be followed by frequent visits to the transplant clinic for the first six weeks before tapering off as she recovers.

Sarah and her parents had checked into Children's Healthcare on Wednesday. She proudly showed off the tube inserted into her abdomen that allows a dialysis machine to hook into her failing kidneys.

Sarah said she was looking forward to being free from that machine, so she can spend the night at her best friend's house. But best of all, she can go to Kangaroo Bob's, a recreation center with inflatable slides.

"I'll get to go there on my birthday because I won't have this anymore," she said as she pointed to the catheter tube.

Mrs. Bolan, a mother of three, will return home after a few days for a two-week recovery.

Sarah's parents, Lori and Joe Dickman, were shocked that the flier worked.

"A thank-you doesn't fit for what she's doing," Mr. Joe Dickman said about Mrs. Bolan. "I'm indebted to her for life."