GBR17 Runner – Blake Bahr

GBR17 FAMILY SPONSOR:

Blake’s journey with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital began at just 2 days old when he was transferred by ambulance and officially went into kidney failure. At 3 days old his dialysis catheter was surgically placed and we knew our son would need a lifesaving kidney transplant once he met the size and age requirements. During Blake’s first year Cardinal Glennon became like a second home for our family with our son spending 135 days in the hospital. The doctors and nurses are an incredible group of people that not only excel in their field but genuinely care deeply for our little guy. Our family spent time in the NICU, PICU and TCU for dialysis treatments, multiple surgeries and various therapy sessions.

On January 18, 2016 an incredible woman named Laurie donated her kidney to save Blake’s life. Blake went through an eight hour transplant surgery that was beautifully executed. Our family came home from Cardinal Glennon a week after transplant and our son has been doing wonderful ever since. He went from being on dialysis 13-24 hours every day to survive, having a feeding tube for nutrition and being completely lethargic and immobile. Now a year post transplant Blake is a thriving tube free 2-year-old little boy. We continue to visit Glennon regularly for labs and ultrasound to check Blake’s kidney function and we know the hospital helped save our little boy’s life. On average a kidney transplant will last around 15 years. We know our son will need multiple transplants in his lifetime but we are so blessed to have Cardinal Glennon with us for this journey and caring for Blake every step of the way.

Our hospital is a special place caring for children of all ages with countless different diagnoses. We love being at a faith based hospital, because the power of prayer got us through some very difficult days. Please consider giving back to the hospital that gives our family and so many other families so much to be grateful for. It’s not easy to have a chronically sick child but knowing we have a place like Cardinal Glennon to count on for our son means the world to us.