After eight years of hospital trips and dozens of medications, 10-year-old Lindsey Duquette is having a life-changing operation on Monday.
The surgery will give her a new kidney and hopefully a new lease on life, freeing her up from the ravages of a disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis.
The donor? Her father, Jim Duquette, 46, an MLB analyst and Sirius radio host who was once general manager of the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles. His cousin, Dan Duquette, is now executive vice president of baseball operations for the Orioles.
For a man used to breaking down player moves and making personnel trades, it will be the biggest act of his life. He told the New York Daily News he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Lindsey first fell sick eight years ago, when she was 2 1/2. The years since have been filled with pills, more than 150 hospital trips, a stomach tube and constant uncertainty. In May 2011, things became even worse when Lindsey’s kidneys had to be removed. The fourth-grader has been on dialysis 14 hours a day since, according to the Daily News.
While members of the Duquette family were tested to see if their kidneys could help Lindsey, only Jim had the right match. On Monday morning, his organ — named “Raven” by Lindsey, after the football team — will be transplanted to Lindsey, who should then be able to return to life as most people know it.
“I just want to be a normal kid,” she told the Daily News.
Monday’s operation should be one big step toward that, with an assist from her dad.
Photo via Facebook/Jim Duquette
