Good News! Toddler Who Was Denied a Life-Saving Kidney Transplant Due to His Father’s Probation Violation Gets a New Donor

A.J. Burgess, the Georgia toddler who was denied a kidney transplant after his father — a perfect donor match — violated probation, is scheduled to receive the life-saving surgery.

His mother, Carmellia Burgess, took to Facebook to share that her baby will be undergoing surgery today. The kidney from a deceased donor will be given to A.J.

via NYDN:

“Heading back to surgery. Keep my baby in your prayers,” Burgess wrote.

In another Facebook post, Burgess said she never thought she would see the day A.J. would receive a kidney.

The family has been in a battle with Atlanta’s Emory Hospital over A.J.’s surgery. The child, who was born premature and without kidneys, was initially scheduled to receive a kidney in October. His father, Anthony Dickerson, was supposed to be the donor.

However, the hospital refused to move forward with the procedure after Dickerson violated his probation and was sent back to jail.

Even after his release, the hospital said it would not perform the surgery. Burgess told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she received a letter stating that Dickerson needed to “be on good behavior for three to four months” before the hospital could reschedule the surgery. The family feared they would run out of time before a new donor was found for A.J.

According to the AJC, Burgess learned on Tuesday that a deceased donor kidney would be given to her son.

“I never thought my baby would b (sic) seeing this day,” Burgess wrote on Facebook. “I stayed strong & did what I had to for my baby.”

 

While we would have loved for the baby to have had a simple transplant from his father as initially planned, we’re just happy he’s having one!