Kevin Van Scoten, 31, is in kidney failure and is in need of a kidney transplant. After he was born, doctors discovered he was born without an anus opening and had to do a series of corrective surgeries during the first years of his life. After a round of testing during that time, his doctors discovered that Kevin was born with only one kidney, which was oversized and didn’t work properly. We knew he would one day likely need a transplant, and unfortunately, that time has come.
Kevin is now on dialysis, which is keeping him alive. He goes three time a week at 4:45am and heads to work afterward. This is the only life Kevin has known. He cannot miss a session, as his life depends on dialysis. This has limited his life in so many ways. He cannot take for granted the ability to travel, to catch a football, to feel free from life’s constraints. A kidney transplant will give Kevin his life and his health back and we are looking forward to life after transplant. Our hope for Kevin is that one day soon he will be able to spread his wings and finally be able to go places and experience life for more than just a day or two at a time.
Updates (1)
July 26, 2016
Meet Kevin Van Scoten! He was born on the morning on July 27th, 1985. The Doctor thought he was 2 weeks late, but Kevin came when Kevin was ready. He was 7 lbs. 9 oz. He was barely 23 hours old when he had his first surgery. They had discovered that he was without an anus opening, so they needed to do a colostomy as soon as possible. Despite this, Kevin was the healthiest baby in intensive care according to the nurses. Five days later he finally was able to come home!
Kevin was 10 months old before his mom ever changed a dirty diaper. At 9 months he had his second surgery to make an anus opening. That needed to heal for about 6 weeks and then his third surgery was to connect his lower bowl to the opening.
Before Kevin's surgeries, he would go through series of tests. During this, the doctors discovered that he was born with only one kidney. It was over sized and wasn't working properly. This required that Kevin be catheterized every 4 hours for the rest of his life, as he could only empty 2/3 of his bladder the natural way. He had a non-neuralgic bladder that was never relaxed except when he was asleep, then it would drain the rest of way. Kevin was only 4 years old at this time.
When Kevin was 13 years old the doctors wanted to do some elective surgeries to hopefully make conditions better for when his kidney failed and he would hopefully get a new one. So at this point, they did a bladder augmentation, an ACE (Antigrade Continence Enema), and a mitrofanoff.
Time passed and the kidney he was born with did finally fail. The Mitrofanoff closed up due to lack of use and then he out grew the ACE. So now it was time to start dialysis. The doctors put a catheter in Kevin's neck, going directly to his heart. These had to be changed periodically, alternating from one side and then to the other side of his neck.
Kevin finally got a fistula in his right arm, right above his wrist. They attached an artery from deep in his arm to a larger vein at the surface. It looks like a small snake under the skin.
He has had dialysis EVERY Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ever since.
For the longest time, Kevin would go after work on those days. He would leave work at 4pm and get home around 9pm, once dialysis ended. Schedules change, now Kevin goes in for dialysis at 4:45 AM and then goes to work after he is done.
This is the only life Kevin has known. He cannot miss a session, as his life depends on dialysis. This has limited his life in so many ways. He cannot take for granted the ability to travel, to catch a football, to feel free from life's constraints.
Our hope for Kevin is that, one day soon he will be able to spread his wings and finally be able to go places and experience life for more than just a day or two at a time. As well as, to go and see the big wide world that is out there without being tied to this small world that has been his for too long, from such a young age.
