When Ethan Hackney’s parents, Jenny and Paul, discovered that their two-week-old baby needed surgery for a common digestive issue, they never imagined it would be the best thing that’s ever happened to them.
Ethan was admitted to the IWK, and while waiting for surgery, he suddenly began retaining fluid.
“My precious baby was so swollen. He looked like he had been stung by 100 bees. If it weren't for the instincts of the nephrologist on call, it would have taken months for us to realize just how sick Ethan was,” says Jenny.
Five days later, after many tests, Ethan was diagnosed with an extremely rare and life-threatening kidney disease called Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome. Jenny and Paul learned that he would one day need a kidney transplant to survive.
Today, Ethan is seven years old, and the IWK has been there for him through every season, holiday, and major milestone.
Ethan’s learning, growing, and experiencing all the wonderfully ordinary things seven-year-olds should be doing. He builds impressive LEGO® creations. He races his scooter. He laughs with his whole body. Those ordinary moments have become precious to his family.
Because behind every one of them is the reality that Ethan's kidneys are getting weaker. Earlier this year, his family learned his kidney function had fallen dramatically. Suddenly, the reality they knew would come was here – Ethan needs a new kidney.
“We're sharing this part of Ethan's story because it is where our family is today. But there is another part of our story we want you to know,” shares Jenny. “While we hope that Ethan will find a kidney donor, the IWK has been and will continue to be there for him every step of the way. The IWK has never cared for Ethan as a diagnosis. They care for him as Ethan."
Donor generosity makes each moment of care, joy, and hope possible. It funds specialized care and programs that support families through every chapter of their journey.
For Ethan, that has meant years of expert kidney care, familiar faces who know him by name, and moments of joy that remind him he's more than his illness.
We don't know what next year will bring. But whatever comes next, Ethan won't face it alone. Because donors like you help make sure the IWK is there for Maritime families in their time of need.
