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• Patient Story

A Kidney for Kirill

By: Alana Ridge

November 26, 2024

Every 8 minutes, someone is added to the national kidney transplant list – in Nevada, 575 people are waiting for their new lease on life. On average, transplant hopefuls are waiting for three to five years before they are matched with a new kidney. 

One of those 575 Nevadans on the list is Kirill Zelenin, the son of an employee who has been with Renown for over 10 years, Masha Zelenin, Application Analyst.   

As the recipient of Masha’s living kidney donation at 8 years old, Kirill’s life changed for the better at a young age. His new kidney reignited his energy, and according to Masha, it was as though “a light had turned back on” for Kirill.  

Now, Kirill is 22 years old. Since transplanted kidneys last anywhere between 8 to 20 years on average, the need for a new kidney has returned. This year, Kirill was placed back on the kidney transplant list, awaiting another life-saving organ to, as Masha says, “bring the light back.” The mother-son duo is hoping for a match any day now.

And thanks to the soon-to-be-opened Renown Transplant Institute, their hope gets a little closer to reality.

A Mother’s Love, A Son’s Courage

When Kirill was first diagnosed with kidney failure after his providers discovered a concerning level of hemoglobin in his blood, he was put on the transplant list and started on dialysis at home. While the dialysis was successful in absorbing and pulling out toxins, the side effects were grueling on Kirill. His appetite suffered, he had little energy, missed a lot of school days and didn’t feel “normal.” Masha, a single mom of two kids, was his primary caretaker. 

The Zelenins knew that dialysis was never going to be a permanent solution for Kirill. The best possible solution for his failing kidneys was to give him a new one. So, Masha decided to get tested to see if she was a match. “Most donors can live a normal life with just one kidney without any restrictions,” she said. 

The good news arrived in 2010: Masha was a match for her son. 

Masha and Kirill headed to a transplant center, where the procedure went off without a hitch. Masha was proud to have had the opportunity to give her son the most precious gift of all – life.

After the surgery, Kirill lived as a happy, healthy child and teenager. His appetite increased, he played sports and excelled in school. Masha felt the same – she went back to work as normal and continued to be the loving, involved mother of her two children. Even though Kirill has to be on immunosuppressants and be especially wary of infections, which can strongly affect transplant patients, both Kirill and Masha were able to live an otherwise normal life. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Masha was working in the ICU at Carson Tahoe Health and in the Neurosurgery unit at Renown, and she knew she could be a contact risk for her immuno-compromised son. She made the difficult decision to separate from Kirill for six months, a loving action to protect his health while continuing to care for others. 

And in the spring of 2020, at 18 years of age, Kirill received his high school diploma, excited to start college at the University of British Columbia that fall.

New Kid(ney)s on the Block

Masha’s generous organ donation proved to work wonders for Kirill for over a decade. At the 10-year mark, as the Zelenins expected, the kidney was ready to retire from its job as life saver and pass the baton onto a new kidney.

This also meant Kirill had to go back on dialysis and begin the process of being placed back onto the national transplant list all over again. Due to the pandemic, the dialysis and the side effects he experienced, he began his college career online. This year, he successfully graduated with a double-major in History and Psychology. 

“It broke my heart that he didn’t have a regular college experience,” Masha reflected. “The 10 medications he has to take daily for his kidney disease make him sleepy, have high blood pressure and feel unwell overall. But he is very determined and has a lot of dreams for the future.” 

Currently, Kirill is taking computer science courses at Truckee Meadows Community College while he’s at home. Masha continues to care for him while the family waits for another life-saving organ. They remain optimistic about the future. 

“Kirill has dreams of going to Europe for his master’s degree in history or architecture,” said Masha. “He wants to travel and experience as many places as possible.” 

Kirill is now about four years away from receiving a match from a donor on the national kidney transplant waiting list.

Filling the Need in Northern Nevada

The establishment of the Renown Transplant Institute means a lot to many members of our community. Masha and Kirill are no different. To have access to advanced kidney treatment and transplantation right in their own backyard without having to travel out-of-the-area, according to Masha, “is a huge deal financially and emotionally.” 

As Masha and Kirill have both experienced, kidney donors and recipients can live a full, healthy life with only one kidney. And once the Renown Transplant Institute officially opens, world-class transplant care for both the donor and the recipient will be closer to home.

All donors are kept confidential; no donor is required to reveal their identity to the recipient unless they decide otherwise. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming an organ donor like Masha, join the 1.6 million Nevadans who have already done so. We strongly encourage you to learn more about the possibilities of organ donation from our partners at the Nevada Donor Network.

Any questions about our transplant program or inquiries about kidney donation at Renown can be directed to the Renown Transplant Institute at 833-746-4684. 

“Renown is a huge organization, and I have always felt a culture of support and understanding here. Everyone is compassionate and supportive. From the bottom of my heart, I believe we can find our hero within the Renown community,” Masha closes.