University of Pittsburgh athletic trainer donating kidney to colleague's 4-year-old son

Mary Beth and Bobby George have searched since May for a living kidney donor for their 4-year-old son, Daniel, who suffers from chronic kidney disease.

Little did the Pittsburgh family know how close to home a donor would be found.

Mary Beth George is a strength and conditioning coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Her colleague, athletic trainer Molly Trott, turned out to be a match.

Trott will donate a kidney to Daniel on Dec. 7, just a few weeks shy of his 5th birthday. The surgeries will be performed at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville.

An ultrasound revealed problems with Daniel’s kidneys prior to his Dec. 26, 2016, birth. His first surgery came just two days after he was born.

“We manage his CKD through a restricted diet, medicine and monthly blood work and doctor’s appointments, still knowing eventually Daniel will need a kidney transplant,” the Georges wrote on their “COTA for Daniel Strong” page on the Children’s Organ Transplant Association website. “In the summer of 2020 we learned that Daniel’s kidney function was lessening and it was time to meet with the kidney transplant team at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.”

No easy decision

With the assistance of COTA and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Donor Registry, the George family launched a campaign in May called “Daniel Strong” for support and fundraising assistance.

“When learning more about the George family, and all that Danny has gone through in his life, I felt I needed to try and help in whatever way I could,” Trott said. “I am happy to be blessed with the opportunity to help Danny live a fulfilling life.”

“We know the decision to be a donor is not an easy one, and Molly has been selfless and humble through the whole process,” Mary Beth George said. “We can never repay her for her act of love for Daniel and our family. She will always be a part of our family.”

Heartwarming stories like these are part of everyday life at UPMC, said Dr. Amit Tevar, director of the UPMC Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program.

“The real hero in this story is Molly,” he said. “She’s being brave and altruistic and she’s really saving Daniel’s life.”

Trott said she’s always felt compelled to help others.

“In thinking about the potential of (Daniel’s) future years with a new functioning kidney, there was no question about the decision to donate,” she said. “I am excited to watch him grow up, and hopeful to ease some of the challenges the George family has gone through with his CKD diagnosis.”

The support her family has received from relatives, friends, colleagues and the whole city has been overwhelming, Mary Beth George said.

“We are so incredibly lucky that Molly felt inclined to sign up to be a living donor to Daniel,” she said. “Our doctors, the transplant team, and the rest of the staff at Children’s Hospital have been more than amazing from my pregnancy to hour one of Daniel’s life, to this day.”

Through fundraising events organized by the family’s COTA volunteer team, led by another Pitt athletic trainer and family friend, Kate McCartney, the “Daniel Strong” campaign has raised more than $58,000, with a goal of $75,000.

Be a normal kid

It is possible that Daniel will need more kidney transplants at some point, and all money raised for him through COTA will continue to be used for his medical care.

“In a perfect situation, with a live donor, a kidney can last a long period of time,” Tevar said. “It won’t last 50 years; the average is about 12 to 18 years.”

How long a donor kidney will function can depend on the type of disease present, the condition of the kidney when donated and the type of immunosuppressant drugs used, he said.

“After surgery, Daniel won’t require dialysis and he should get back on the normal growth curve,” Tevar said. “In five or six days, he can go home and try to be a normal kid again.”

As for Trott, she will spend a day or two in the hospital after the laparoscopic procedure to remove her kidney, he said. She should be able to resume all normal activities in about six weeks.

“We do a lot of screening, a lot of work, to make sure the donor is safe. She’ll have no short- or long-term restrictions,” Tevar said. “Our prime directive is, don’t put someone in harm’s way.”

“It is both fortuitous and a blessing that both Molly and Daniel’s mom, Mary Beth, work together in our department,” said Heather Lyke, Pitt director of athletics. “We are all extremely grateful for Molly Trott and her selfless decision to help the George family and their amazing son, Daniel. We pray for a successful transplant and healthy recovery for both Daniel and Molly.”

For more information on “Daniel Strong,” visit cotafordanielstrong.com.