New Jersey Teen’s Fight for Life: Family Seeks Living Kidney Donor

A New Jersey family has launched an urgent public appeal to find a living kidney donor for their 13-year-old son, Thaddeus Giansanti, who has battled kidney disease since birth and now faces a critical health crisis.

Thaddeus, an eighth-grader described by his parents as bright and outgoing, has only one functioning kidney—and it’s failing. Without a transplant within weeks, doctors say he will need to begin dialysis treatments.

“His remaining kidney is now failing,” his father, Carlo Giansanti, told reporters. “We are not a match, so now we’re asking for help from the community.”

The family’s ordeal began before Thaddeus was even born, when a routine ultrasound detected potential complications. After birth, what initially appeared to be extra fluid quickly developed into something more serious when blood tests revealed elevated creatinine levels, an indicator of kidney function problems.

“There was something wrong with the ureters and the formation of the kidneys,” explained his mother, Christa DeMark.

Thaddeus spent his early months in the neonatal intensive care unit, undergoing multiple procedures. Before reaching five months of age, surgeons performed a left nephrectomy to remove one kidney. His remaining kidney was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, requiring lifelong medication and monitoring.

“He’s been with nephrology and nephrologists his entire life, and up until last year, everything’s been stable, but that’s been slowly changing,” DeMark said. “He’s getting bigger and it’s been putting more stress on his remaining kidney.”

Recent blood tests have shown a concerning decline in kidney function, accelerating the timeline for finding a donor. Physicians have advised the family that a living donor represents Thaddeus’s best chance at a successful transplant.

The family’s appeal comes amid ongoing national concerns about organ donation systems in the United States. Earlier this year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced what he called a “historic crackdown” on what he described as a “broken” organ donation system, highlighting challenges faced by the approximately 90,000 Americans currently waiting for kidney transplants.

For potential donors interested in helping Thaddeus, the family notes that candidates must be 45 or younger, have a body mass index under 30, and match Thaddeus’s O blood type. The donation process involves a laparoscopic procedure with a relatively quick recovery time, and all medical expenses would be covered by the recipient’s insurance, not the donor’s.

Despite his medical challenges, Thaddeus has maintained an impressive academic record, recently earning several scholarships for his upcoming transition to high school. His parents describe him as a well-rounded teen who excels in soccer, golf, and fencing, plays piano, and regularly volunteers at his church and local food pantry.

“He’s a straight-A student,” DeMark noted proudly. “He loves his family and loves doing things with his family. He’s just a great kid.”

Until recently, the family had kept Thaddeus’s medical condition relatively private. “We wanted Thad to just be the bright, happy person that he is, so we’ve minimized it for years,” his mother explained. However, as his condition has deteriorated, they’ve been forced to broaden their search for help.

The community’s response has been overwhelming. “We never expected to have such an outpouring of people who cared or people trying to help—it’s been incredibly humbling,” DeMark said.

As they wait for a matching donor, the family is leaning on faith and taking each day as it comes. “We are remaining hopeful because we know there’s a solution to this problem,” DeMark said. “We just need help.”

Those interested in being considered as donors can complete the Kidney Transplant Living Donor Questionnaire through Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Thaddeus is being treated. The family remains optimistic that their public appeal will lead to the life-saving donation their son urgently needs.

“The miracle Thad needs right now is people who have the ability to step up,” his mother said. “He is a great kid, a kind kid.”