MANSFIELD -- An Ohio community is rallying behind a teacher who is donating a kidney to a student.
Wendy Killian will provide the organ for a student she taught in Kindergarten last year at Mansfield Christian School.
Eight-year-old Nicole Miller was born with only one kidney, and that organ is now failing.
Nicole appeared as rambunctious and silly as any 8-year-old during a recent school visit, but her mother says she tires easily.
Doctors tested 18 potential donors before Killian stepped up.
Killian knows first-hand about critically ill children and the kindness of strangers. Her son fought for his life as an infant due to a blood disease.
A donation of platelets helped save his life. âTo be holding a child when the doctors canât tell you whether theyâll live or not is a terrifying place to be,â Killian said.
She said, from that point on, she prayed for an opportunity to provide the same kind of help for another child.
That chance will come Tuesday, when both the teacher and student go to Cleveland for the procedure.
Neither Killian nor Nicoleâs mother, Letitia Miller, said they were nervous about the operation.
âFor me, itâs going to be a day of joyfulness because sheâs getting her new kidney and sheâs going to feel so much better,â Miller said.
Wendy Killian will provide the organ for a student she taught in Kindergarten last year at Mansfield Christian School.
Eight-year-old Nicole Miller was born with only one kidney, and that organ is now failing.
Nicole appeared as rambunctious and silly as any 8-year-old during a recent school visit, but her mother says she tires easily.
Doctors tested 18 potential donors before Killian stepped up.
Killian knows first-hand about critically ill children and the kindness of strangers. Her son fought for his life as an infant due to a blood disease.
A donation of platelets helped save his life. âTo be holding a child when the doctors canât tell you whether theyâll live or not is a terrifying place to be,â Killian said.
She said, from that point on, she prayed for an opportunity to provide the same kind of help for another child.
That chance will come Tuesday, when both the teacher and student go to Cleveland for the procedure.
Neither Killian nor Nicoleâs mother, Letitia Miller, said they were nervous about the operation.
âFor me, itâs going to be a day of joyfulness because sheâs getting her new kidney and sheâs going to feel so much better,â Miller said.
