Young Man Donating Kidney to Sister With Lupus

Siblings Connor Frohberg and Cassie Bertwell share the same blood and will also share the same kidneys.

Find out what lupus does to the immune system.

Twenty-six-year-old Cassie Bertwell had been complaining of aching joints along with hair loss and extreme fatigue for a few years and was initially diagnosed and treated for arthritis.

Following her wedding, Cassie and her new husband Damien decided on two major life decisions: they would take the trip of a lifetime and go to Australia and they would try for a family.  However, her symptoms worsened and she returned to her doctor for more tests.

While the couple was waiting for their flight to Australia, they decided to take a pregnancy test–it came back positive. Damien and Cassie were overjoyed.

When they got home, Cassie returned to the doctor to get her test results–and these tests didn’t go her way. Cassie was diagnosed with lupus. Not only that, but her doctors told her that her kidneys were failing.

Because Cassie was pregnant, there was only so much doctors could do to treat her failing kidneys and sadly at six months, the couple lost their baby. After this, Cassie was able to undergo daily kidney dialysis but was told she’d need a transplant.

Twelve close friends and family members offered to donate one of their kidneys to Cassie, but only one was a good enough match–her 20-year-old brother Connor.

Connor has had all the pre-transplant tests and the siblings hope they can undergo the procedure soon.

Read about five medical complications that can stem from lupus.

Originally from the Lincoln Journal Star.

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