Arizona toddler, 2, needs a living kidney donation: 'She loves Bluey and her Jesus doll'
PHOENIX - Selena Pacheco was born with an uphill battle. The 2-year-old Arizona girl has been on dialysis for the majority of her life.
On Sept. 18, she was approved for the kidney transplant list and is looking for a donor to change her life.
Selena's smile and giggles are those of a happy little girl. You would have no idea she has stage 5 chronic kidney disease. After 20 months of dialysis, her mom, Illyra Leon, says her baby girl needs a new kidney by the end of the year.
"She loves Bluey and her Jesus doll," her mother said. "He goes everywhere. He's been to every surgery."
Illyra and Selena have all their bags packed and ready to go. They’re just waiting on a call for a kidney.
"You know, I wish that I could switch places with her. I wish that I could give her a kidney," Illyra said.
By the time she celebrated her 2nd birthday, she had six surgeries. Her childhood has been filled with constant doctor appointments, trips to Phoenix Childrens Hospital, and three hours of dialysis three days a week.
"That's something that a kid shouldn't be used to," Illyra said.
Selena needs a living donor with O positive blood. Now that she weighs 22 pounds, she’s met the threshold for a transplant and has been added to the transplant list.
"The last thing they needed was a CT scan to see the size of her blood vessels," Illyra said. "They called today to confirm everything, and she's active on that list."
Illyra holds onto hope, thinking of better days ahead and trips the duo plan to take.
"Just to take her to Disneyland, of course, and Corpus Christi, Texas. She’s named after Selena (Quintanilla) and to have more of a happy life. I want her to be able to go play," Illyra said.
As a single mom, Selena is Illyra’s world. As they wait for the call, the anticipation is unnerving.
"There’s a part of me that is like, is she really ready for this? And then I have to ask myself, like, am I the one that's ready for it?" Illyra said. "It's not easy watching her go through surgeries and being in the hospital."
Selena is not alone.
"Babies shouldn’t be put through that. Then I see the other kids in there and, you know, there are kids that are crying. It's sad to see not just her, but all the other kids. Even if someone's not a match for her, there are other kids at Phoenix Childrens that could really benefit from a kidney," Illyra said.
Selena’s mom says a typical wait for a kidney is 6–18 months. Before, she didn’t qualify, but now after being on dialysis for 20 months, it puts her higher on the list.
If you have O positive blood or feel called to learn more about living kidney donations, you can contact Lorrie, the family's living donor coordinator, at 602-406-6199.
Learn more about Selena's journey: