Medford 11-year-old waiting for a kidney transplant

Medford, Ore. — For the past year, the community has been raising money for a Medford boy with stage 4 kidney disease. It’s a story NBC5 News first told you about last fall. The little boys transplant is covered by insurance, but the costs that come with it — like medications, missed work for mom, and extended stays in Portland– add up. Tonight, that family is getting help from some local businesses, and you’re invited to take part.

“We just can’t thank everybody enough for all the support we’re getting,” Kyndra Boyd says.

Alejandro’s mother says if you weren’t told her son has kidneys functioning at just 24%, you’d probably have no idea.

“He gets shots every day,” Boyd says, “every Thursday he gets two shots, he takes all his medications, he’s on strict diets and he just goes with it, and he just doesn’t let it stop him.”

The 11-year-old goes to school, participates in sports, and loves all the things kids his age love. But as the disease progresses, it takes a toll.

“When he gets sick, he gets way sicker now,” Boyd says.

Kyndra knows he will have to get even worse, before he gets better. Alejandro’s kidney function needs to drop a few more percentage points for him to get on the transplant list.

“I want to keep his original kidneys as long as possible too, so it’s hard you,” Boyd says, “want it to be time but you don’t want it to be time.”

That time could be tomorrow, or several months from now, but the transplant process is already underway and Kyndra is trying to prepare.

“I’m a single mom, and I have a 7 year old and a 6 old, and say it happens in the school year, I want to keep their lives as normal as possible and that is a lot of stress,” Boyd says.

But local businesses are trying to make her burden a little lighter. Several fundraisers are taking place around Medford, with 20-50% of the proceeds going to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association on behalf of Alejandro. His mom says he couldn’t be more thankful for the community’s support.

“It makes him want to go do good for other people, he wants to pay to forward,” she says.

The first fundraiser is taking place on June 14th at Original Roadhouse Grill, followed by events at Chipotle and the Panda Express on Center Drive. All you have to do to help, is show up to eat with a flyer. Click HERE for more information and to get a copy of the flyer.