Georgia Mom Cleared to Donate a Kidney to Her 2-Year-Old Son

Any mother will sacrifice her life for her children, and that's exactly what Georgia mom, Pamela Bish, is preparing to do as soon as she was cleared to donate her kidney to her 2-year-old son, Carter Bish.

After a series of tests and medical assessments, doctors determined that Pamela was the perfect match for Carter, who had been dealing with medical issues even before he was born. The mother and son will go through the live organ transplant together on Friday, July 8, per ABC News.

It will be the 12th surgery for the toddler, but it could be the one that will finally end his medical struggles, all thanks to his mother.

Not Compatible with Life

On her 20th week of pregnancy, Pamela and her husband, Dale Bish, were told that Carter was "not compatible with life" and his kidneys were filled with fluid and cysts. A second opinion from specialists at the Johns Hopkins Hospital confirmed that the fetus appeared to have a urinary blockage.

A medical team continuously monitored Pamela and the baby for the rest of her pregnancy. However, the Bish family was also advised that, should Carter make it, he will require dialysis in the first year of his life and potentially a transplant if it will no longer work.

Shortly after Carter was born at 34 weeks, he was brought to the Children's Scottish Rite Hospital, where he received various treatments and surgeries, including peritoneal dialysis. A year later, doctors took him off dialysis because his kidneys were improving, but "things just started to get bad again," according to the mom.

At this point, doctors said Carter would need the transplant so his organ could adequately clear the toxins from his urine. Pamela told 11 Alive that, from the very start, she was praying to be her baby's kidney donor.

"That was my dream, that was my prayer, from before he was even born," the mom said. "I wanted to be the one."

Finding a suitable donor was a crucial process because the person had to be healthy, had no vices like smoking or alcohol, and did not have high blood pressure or pre-diabetes. The mother said that the doctors had to ensure she could continue living a healthy life with just one kidney.

Instant Peace and Calm

Pamela described feeling "instant peace and calm" after their family got the call informing them that she was Carter's perfect match. Needless to say, they are in high spirits. The good news came just as Carter reached a new milestone as he was able to hit his weight threshold months after healing from hip surgery.

Dr. Sabina Kennedy, one of the toddler's doctors, told Fox 5 Atlanta that Pamela and Carter are "model patients" who do not buckle despite the complications and setbacks. The doctor described her patient as a bubbly and jolly boy even when he's going through a serious medical issue.

Carter's medical team is confident that this transplant will be a success. However, he might need another transplant when he's an adult, and the family joked that he still has two other siblings to rely on.