STORIES OF HOPE
Transplant Transforms 6-Year-Old.
Last year, Luke Sclater-Booth received a Christmas gift that continues to give. Stuart, Luke’s father, gave his son not only a kidney but also a new lease on life.

The day after his transplant, Luke’s mom, Kirsten, remembers him sitting up in bed laughing, eating and playing Nintendo. While it was too early to make judgments, Luke seemed like a different person than the boy who was diagnosed with ARPKD at birth and has struggled with kidney complications ever since.

Luke didn’t mind that he had to spend the holiday in the hospital. It gave him a chance to read, play games and watch much more TV than usual. But the highlight of his stay was meeting Santa Clause who made a special trip just to see Luke.

Since his transplant, there has been no slowing Luke down. Most mornings, Kirsten wakes to find that he has been up for hours running around and playing games.

“His appetite has been completely out of control,” Kirsten said. “I literally have had to lock the cupboards, but I still find food stashes under furniture and behind his bed.”

Due to his increased appetite, Kirsten has had to focus more on monitoring the foods her son is eating. She has also had to start teaching Luke about eating in moderation.

Despite his endless appetite, its been Luke’s behavior that’s benefited most from the transplant. Before his transplant, he was asked to leave school two hours early because he was so disruptive he couldn’t even make it through lunch.

“I was torn between wanting to scream my head off and wrapping my arms so tight around him so that no one could make my incredible smart boy feel badly about himself,” Kirsten said.

Recently, Luke has begun to attend a full day of school. His teachers can’t believe he is the same child; one admitted he is one of the best listeners in class.

To stay updated on Luke and his family’s experiences with ARPKD, visit Kirsten’s blog at http://www.lukesb.typepad.com/.

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