Red Socks Run for Aleia...

Aleia's Story

At just three years old, Aleia was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome. She spent four months in hospital undergoing continuous infusions, blood tests and ultrasounds. Sadly, her kidney's failed and she had both removed.

Aleia spent 22 months on peritoneal dialysis. This was a challenging and consuming way of life, involving more than 13 hours on a machine every night. Luckily, Aleia stayed stable through most of it. 

After a rigorous recruitment and testing process, her mother was found to be a match. Eventually, against all odds, her kidney seemed to respond to the plasma exchange and now she has good kidney function. However, she still needs to rely  on plasma exchange once a week, which means she still has an access line. 

Despite the journey Aleia has faced, she is a happy, energetic little girl. Her family want people to know how important kidney health awareness is.

“We don’t know what the future holds just yet, but she is a fiercely strong person and doesn’t let anything hold her back. She plays netball, does karate, does ballet, keeps up with school and lives life to the fullest,” mum Laura.