A New Jersey family is seeking a living donor to save Thaddeus Giansanti, an eighth grader born with kidney disease.

At thirteen, he has endured numerous surgeries and ongoing medical care that have shaped a determined and hopeful child who loves his classes and athletic pursuits.

From birth he faced mounting medical challenges that required frequent hospital visits and careful monitoring by specialists.

By around five months of age he underwent a left nephrectomy to remove his first kidney, a procedure that set the stage for a life lived with one kidney and ongoing therapy.

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

Doctors detected trouble before Thaddeus was born, and the formation of the kidneys was questioned. "There was something wrong with the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder) and the formation of the kidneys."

The family was told that the best option would be to locate a living donor for a transplant. The approaching need for a donor grew clearer as his bloodwork began to demonstrate faster decline in the functioning kidney.

"Everything's been sped up based on his bloodwork lately," DeMark said. "So it's looking like we need something quicker than we thought, which is why we’re looking for living donors."

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"It’s obviously been challenging for him," DeMark said. "He's dealing with it very well, but these are difficult situations we're navigating."

"We wanted Thad to just be the bright, happy person that he is, so we've minimized it for years," DeMark said.

"We never expected to have such an outpouring of people who cared or people trying to help — it’s been incredibly humbling," DeMark said. It has pushed us to rely on faith in a way that's very palpable — we are just coming together as a family and taking each day as it comes.

We are remaining hopeful because we know there's a solution to this problem. We just need help.

To be considered for the donation program, kidney donors must be 45 or younger, have a BMI under 30 and match Thaddeus’ O blood type.

For those who are considering becoming donors, DeMark emphasized that it entails a laparoscopic procedure with a fairly quick healing process that is covered by their insurance, not the donor’s.

"The miracle Thad needs right now is people who have the ability to step up," she added. "He is a great kid, a kind kid."

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