Faith holds family together

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Cecilia Cárdenas plays with her son Sebastian during his weekly dialysis treatments at Driscoll Children's Hospital. Sebastian must undergo dialysis while he awaits a kidney donor.

Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

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Mario Cárdenas recalls with great clarity the precise moment when he thought his son Sebastian would die.

“It was right after his first kidney transplant in 2012. He had severe bleeding in his stomach and doctors pulled us aside, explaining there was nothing more they could do,” he said, his voice breaking. “It was at that point my wife and I gave our son to God and prayed. I remember we said, ‘If your decision is to take him, the decision is yours’.”
After a few hours, doctors shared some wonderful news. 

“They said he made it and he would be OK. This experience made our faith in God even stronger. We know our son is a walking miracle,” he said.
 

Mario Cárdenas reads to his son Sebastian during dialysis treatment at Driscoll Children's Hospital. Sebastian has been waiting a year for a new kidney and must endure dialysis three times a week for four hours each day, until a new donor is found. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

Cárdenas and his wife Cecilia Cárdenas were both raised Catholic, so their faith was already strong when they learned their youngest son Sebastian had a disorder called nephrotic syndrome, a disease in which his kidneys stopped working and is resistant to traditional treatment. At the time of his initial diagnosis in 2011, Sebastian was just one-year-old and by the age of two, he had his first kidney transplant.

Today, Sebastian is currently waiting for another kidney donor to save his life. Until a donor is found, he must undergo dialysis three times a week at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

If it were not for the feeding tube adhered to his cherub-like face, you would never know six-year-old Sebastian was facing a life-threatening illness.

“He doesn’t let his illness slow him down,” his father said with a chuckle. “He plays soccer at school, he plays with his older brother Emiliano and the kids at his school love him.”

Sebastian attends St. Patrick School and his teacher, Toni Nelson, feels blessed by God to have him in her class. She added his classmates have been incredibly supportive.

“The class has been very compassionate, loving and patient with Sebastian. He is always in our thoughts and prayers everyday,” Nelson said.

Mario Cárdenas reiterated this fact and shared a story about a young boy in his son’s class who saw a recent television story about Sebastian’s search for a kidney during World Kidney Day in March.

“As soon as he saw Sebastian at school the next morning, he ran up to hug him and said, ‘I’ll give you one of my kidneys, Sebastian!’ It was very moving,” Mario Cárdenas recalled.
 

St. Patrick 's school guidance counselor, Cathy Rehmet works with Sebastian's class on how to call 911 in case of an emergency.  Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

“I know Sebastian is pretty popular in school, they all love him, even kids from different grades, they love to take him to church. They have a program at school where children in the older grades help the little ones. More than one person has told me they can’t believe he is sick. God has a reason for him to be with us,” the father said.

Evelyn Burton, principal at St. Patrick School, said Sebastian is a friend to all and his personality is infectious.

“He is quick with a joke and has a wonderful sense of humor. Sebastian reminds us everyday about the miracle of life,” she said. “His laugh, excitement and joy of life permeate our school.”

Although Sebastian is quite young, he still has an understanding of what he is going through, explained his father.

“Last November, his grandmother—Cecilia’s mother—passed away.  She had been ill for a year with breast cancer. During that year, he would ask if she was going to get better and we talked to him about the power of prayer. Now he knows his grandmother is in heaven, watching over him. His faith has grown ever since and I believe this has a lot to do with St. Patrick School. There is no better place for him to be right now,” Mario Cárdenas said.

Meanwhile, the family is waiting for yet another miracle. Everyday that passes makes their faith grow stronger. Unfortunately, neither Mario Cárdenas nor his wife Cecilia are kidney donor matches for Sebastian because the young boy’s body has developed antibodies to their kidneys. Sebastian has endured so many blood transfusions in the past, which make finding the right match much harder.
 

Sebastian Cárdenas presents the Blessed Virgin Mary with flowers during a crowning ceremony at St. Patrick School. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

“We’re waiting for God’s timing, the right moment. We know the right match for Sebastian is out there,” Mario Cárdenas said. “We are waiting for that right angel to appear for Sebastian. We have faith that day will come because God has special plans for our son.”

For more information about becoming a kidney donor, visit the United Network for Organ Sharing at www.Unos.org.