I am truly at a loss for words when trying to describe the care and love we have received from the Kidney Transplant Team at CHLA. Each member of this remarkable team has played an invaluable role in our journey post-transplant. Since our son’s kidney transplant in May 2024, we have faced a number of challenging complications, and I feel incredibly blessed to have such an exceptional group of professionals providing care for both our son and our family.

I would like to specifically highlight the following individuals for their consistent, outstanding care: nurses Debbie Queral, Nalisha Kumar, Gwen Green Brown, Nurse Practitioners: Alexandria Foy, and Heather Zink; social worker Alexxa Friedenthal; and Dr. Rachel Lestz. From day one, this team has been unwavering in its commitment to our son’s well-being. We are in and out of CHLA frequently—between outpatient visits, labs, infusions, and inpatient admissions—and every time, the kidney transplant team ensures we feel like we are receiving the best possible care that any parent could ask for.

As a dedicated advocate for my son, it’s not always easy to find a team of professionals who are as thoughtful and responsive to every concern or request. Our family’s journey has been incredibly difficult, transitioning from dialysis to a kidney transplant for our son, who is only four years old. Despite the challenges, this team consistently instills faith in the treatment plan and reassures us, even when the news is difficult. I can confidently say that choosing CHLA has been the best decision we’ve ever made for our son’s health and future.

We’ve chosen to travel up to four hours round trip to CHLA over local hospitals because of the exceptional care we receive from this team. Our son’s life is quite literally in their hands, and I trust every decision they make on his behalf. Never once have I felt dismissed or rushed when expressing any concerns or requests—something that has not always been the case with other providers. This team has made us feel special in every way. They’ve developed a deep relationship with our family, and even our son, E, now asks for them by name when we’re inpatient because he trusts them.

The Kidney Transplant Team has shown us, time and time again, that they genuinely care about the success of our son’s transplant and his overall well-being. They have been one of the greatest blessings in our lives, and we are endlessly grateful for the exceptional care they have provided and continue to provide for our precious son.

For all they’ve done and continue to do, I wholeheartedly nominate this incredible team for this award. Their dedication, compassion, and expertise have made all the difference in our journey.

Our son recently tested positive for BK virus, and it was determined that the best course of treatment would be IVIG and cidofovir infusions. While we initially had reservations about the IVIG due to an adverse reaction our son had experienced in the past, Dr. Rachel Lestz took the time to thoughtfully explain the treatment plan in detail. She ensured that every concern I had was addressed and proactively outlined the steps that would be taken to make the treatment as safe and successful as possible. Dr. Lestz asked for my input and, more importantly, made sure I was comfortable with moving forward with the plan.
Dr. Lestz is not only brilliant in her field, but she is also compassionate and empathetic, qualities that have made a profound impact on our family. If there is any doctor in the world I would trust with my son’s life, it is undoubtedly Dr. Rachel Lestz. Her expertise, combined with her genuine care for our family, makes her an extraordinary physician who we are incredibly grateful for.

Debbie’s loving and energetic personality has been a very special experience for us, and E has even titled her his “best friend.” She has easily become E’s “protector,” and he asks for her during every admission. Every visit, whether outpatient or inpatient, is greeted with a hug filled with love and laughter, which makes all the difference in his experience at the hospital.

Nalisha has gone above and beyond to accommodate my work schedule and our extensive round trips to CHLA, ensuring that we are able to balance E’s treatment with my professional obligations. She has always been considerate of giving me enough time to notify my employer without compromising E’s health or his need for treatment. 

Gwen is the person we refer to as our “angel sent from God.” From the moment she first met with us during the transplant evaluation, her motherly approach made us feel safe and cared for. I will never forget the comfort she provided when I was waiting to do my living donor testing for my son. She held my hand, offering me emotional support during such a vulnerable moment.

Post-transplant, Gwen has continued to check up on us, providing the same nurturing care and reminding me to take care of myself, both physically and emotionally, throughout this journey. I lost my mother at a young age, and Gwen has filled that void with her motherly support at a time when I needed it most.

Allie and Heather have always been there to listen carefully to the long expressions of concerns and questions I have during both admissions and outpatient infusions. They are so patient and thoughtful with every response they provide. Both of them also share appreciation for me as a parent and have acknowledged how carefully I consider every decision made for my son. I have always felt encouraged to be transparent and express myself without feeling judged or like I am overbearing. They are quick to address matters with the doctors, which has been so reassuring for me as I advocate for my son’s care.

Alexxa continues to provide proactive support during our outpatient and inpatient visits, working efficiently to assist with anything we need. She has helped us tremendously by facilitating paperwork for E to be enrolled in the IHSS program, which has made a significant financial difference. Additionally, she proactively arranges for us to have support from our favorite child life specialist, Nancy Ebanks, during our inpatient admissions, which has been invaluable in easing E’s anxiety.. She has also been incredibly thoughtful in offering us monthly parking passes to assist with the recurring charges we face from our many visits to CHLA.

This team has shown us, time and time again, that they truly care about our son’s well-being and have worked tirelessly to support both him and our family. They have become more than just a medical team—they’ve become a support system that we trust and are deeply grateful for.

I asked the transplant team for the possibility of extending the duration of my son’s IVIG treatment at my request, in hopes of reducing some of the symptoms or adverse reactions he had traditionally experienced. Dr. Lestz, Allie, Heather, Debbie, and Nalisha all listened attentively to my concerns and agreed that it should be possible. They assured me they would check with the pharmacists to see if there could be a solution with the shelf life of the medication to make this adjustment work effectively.

As we continued discussing my son's ongoing side effects from the treatment, Dr. Lestz went above and beyond by stating that she would explore other options of pre-emptive medications with allergy specialists that might help reduce or even prevent any potential inflammation. She received expert opinions from those specialists, and the transplant team reviewed them in detail, planning out what this new regimen would look like and what we could expect during the next IVIG treatment and admission.

Separately, we were facing insurance challenges related to a medication needed for my son’s treatment. Nalisha went out of her way to discuss financial relief options with the pharmacy, fully aware that we would need to pay out of pocket. She presented me with the options available and made sure to ask if I was comfortable with the solution before exploring any further possibilities.

The transplant team’s willingness to go the extra mile, to work through each challenge with us, and to ensure we had every possible option and resource available, has shown us their unwavering dedication to providing an extraordinary level of service and care to E and our family. They have truly exhausted all efforts to ensure that we are supported in every way possible.

We choose to make the sacrifice of time and finances, driving 3 and a half to 4-hour round trips to CHLA (in traffic/rush hour) rather than visiting our local children’s hospital, because the level of service and care we’ve received from the kidney transplant team is truly unmatched. I find myself continually bragging to family and friends across all of my social networks about how this team has made our journey a little less scary.

The comfort they provide us and the reassurance we feel from the genuine care they show in every decision they make for our son is everything I could have hoped for as a mother of a child with medical complexities. Our son’s diagnosis is considered “1 in a million” in the U.S., and the transplant team has made us feel that way—very special. They’ve made sure that our son’s care is personalized and that we are treated with the utmost compassion and dedication.

Choosing CHLA for our son's care has been the best decision we’ve made, and it’s because of the incredible team we’ve come to trust with his life.