Zach's Story
When Zach's family adopted him from China, they knew he would have medical complications. It wasn't until Zach came home, however, that they realized how complex his condition was. Zach's parents realized they needed a medical home that could care for medically complex children with multiple conditions, and so they came to Duke Children's.
Zach has chronic kidney disease and is seen by specialists in urology, nephrology, and gastroenterology at Duke Children's. Despite being seen in multiple areas, his Duke Children's providers ensure that his care is coordinated: that all the different teams work together seamlessly to provide Zach the best care possible and his family peace of mind. And his team goes above and beyond: his urologist, John Wiener, MD, even showed up at the hospital to provide consultation when Zach was admitted once in the middle of the night.
In summer of 2022, Zach received a kidney transplant from a living donor.
Zach is 9 years old and lives in Raleigh, NC. He loves Legos, his older siblings, and his Duke doctors. When he grows up, he wants to own an ice cream truck that also sells lemonade and popsicles.
It is not exaggeratory to say, ‘These providers saved my child’s life.’ I will forever be grateful for how they have cared for him. He has a complicated body and multiple providers across various teams work closely together to come up with the best plan for him.