Snohomish father saves son's life with his kidney

SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Twenty-one-month-old Isaac Buurstra is recovering at Children's Hospital in Seattle after undergoing a kidney transplant.

Over the course of more than 10 hours in the operating room, Isaac received his father's kidney.

"We're thankful that Tim’s got a good kidney to give to our son,"  said Paige Buurstra, Isaac's mother.

The Snohomish toddler suffered from end-stage renal disease and needed a new kidney to save his life.

Both parents were a match to donate their kidneys to Isaac.

Isaac's father, Tim Buurstra, said his decision to donate was easy.

"It'll give him a chance at childhood instead of being hooked up to a machine to keep him alive 12 hours a day," said Buurstra.

The Buurstras said they have been overwhelmed by support from people in the community who have supported them.

Many community members are helping raise money for the Children's Organ Transplant Association, which will help the Buurstras pay for medical bills associated with the transplant.

"It's really overwhelming.  It's an incredible experience to have so many people rallying around our family and our son and my husband -- just ... just it's really overwhelming and amazing," said Paige Buurstra.

Isaac is expected to be in the intensive care unit at Children's Hospital for a few more days, and then he will move to a surgical floor.

His father may be released from the University of Washington Medical Center as early as Sunday.

KIRO