Shreyan Govender, 7, this week took a momentous step towards a healthier future as he underwent a kidney transplant, a procedure that not only marks a pivotal chapter in his young life but also embodies the spirit of family and sacrifice.
The extraordinary gift came from his 50-year-old aunt, Priscilla Govender, who transformed her own health to give Shreyan the chance to thrive after years of struggling with chronic kidney disease.
Shreyan, who is currently in isolation at the hospital, is recovering well from the surgery that occurred on Tuesday.
Shreyan, diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at birth, faced numerous challenges from day one. He and his twin sister entered the world together, both on ventilators and fighting for their lives.
At just one month old, Shreyan was diagnosed with under-formed kidneys, which led to a rigorous treatment of peritoneal dialysis starting at the age of four, where he endured seven-hour sessions every evening.
Shreyan, who has a twin sister, was diagnosed at birth with chronic kidney disease.
When the twins were born they were on the ventilator and faced other medical challenges. Shreyan was about a month old when it was discovered that he had under-formed kidneys.
The quest for a suitable kidney donor began in earnest when his mother Shantal Govender appealed for help in 2022.
Despite her best efforts to find a donor among family and friends, the search was arduous. Govender herself suffers from diabetes, and her husband has hypertension, ruling them out as potential donors.
At the time the Sunday Tribune reported about Shreyan's plight and his struggle to find a suitable donor.
This week Govender said she was so relieved that the transplant finally happened and was successful.
"Shreyan is recovering and his kidney is functioning, no more dialysis. My cousin Priscilla tested two years ago but was told her cholestrol was high and that she needed to lose weight. She was determined to make it as the donor and therefore underwent a lifestyle change and lost over 20 kilos. She went back and got tested this year and everything went through. The transplant board approved the procedure. They both underwent a number of tests right up until the day of the operation to ensure there was no infection as that would have prevented the operation from going ahead," said Govender.
She said Shreyan was half the weight and height compared to his twin sister.
For Shreyan, the prospect of life post-transplant is liberating. No longer bound by the constraints of dialysis four times a day, he told his mother he dreams of swimming and participating in sports—activities that were simply incompatible with his previous health regimen.
"When he was told about the transplant he said he just wants to be able to swim and do normal things. He was very restricted in what he could do compared to children his age," she said.
