14 Year Old Hockey Goalie Gets Kidney Transplant @ UMICH
Carolina Hurricanes Captain and Stanley Cup Champion, Rod Brind'Amour, wishes Marshall well in his fight against kidney disease.
World famous King Richard Petty (NASCAR legend), wishes Marshall Taylor (Not Yet Famous Hockey Goalie) all the best in his fight against kidney disease.
Marshall Taylor, son of The Rev. & Mrs. Philip R. Taylor of Raleigh, NC, recently had a kidney transplant at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. However, he still plans to continue playing ice hockey as a goalie. Marshall has been playing hockey since he was 5 years old; he is now 14. In August 2005 he was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) but his doctors told him he could continue to play hockey, the game he loves. Marshall played goalie on a Raleigh Youth Hockey Association (RYHA) team in the Raleigh, NC area for the last 4 years. Chemical imbalances in his system, triggered by his less than functional kidneys, caused him to "run out of steam" quicker than the other players. However, Marshall did his best to keep up at practices and during games. His coaches and teammates were very supportive and understood his situation. Marshall's blood chemistry made him feel like he has eaten 4 or 5 turkey dinners every day. Marshall's father recently said, "It's really a miracle and a testament to his commitment to play hockey that he has had any energy at all. We are really proud of his effort to play such a demanding sport. His doctors told us that, after his transplant and full recovery, he will be able to play goalie with a few extra pads. That has been exciting news for a young player who loves the game as much as Marshall. His Mom and I are convinced that his smile, laughter, willingness to endure, courage, and the great game of hockey are and will continue to be blessings to our entire family." The kidney transplant operation occurred successfully on September 2, 2010. His donor, Karen Tyner (Marshall's Aunt and an attorney in Spartanburg, SC), has returned home after the operation. Marshall and his Mom will remain in Ann Arbor, MI for a few more weeks. Over the last five years, Marshall has participated in several studies at the University of North Carolina Kidney Center in Chapel Hill, NC. One day these studies will benefit other children and their families who experience chronic kidney disease. One of the studies is considering the effects that chronic kidney disease may have on the cognitive function in children. Over the last 5 years, these tests have required that Marshall undergo painful blood chemistry tests, MRIs, kidney scans, and long hours of cognitive testing. His Mom commented, "We are so proud that he is willing to do all this to help future children and their families deal with the many issues raised by kidney disease in children."
The song you hear on this site was written and sung by Greg Nicholson of Songs of Love and is used by permission from Songs of Love. Go to their website to see how Songs of Love is helping brighten the lives of many ill children and their famalies.
"Don't take your organs to heaven; heaven knows we need them here!"
This site was made possible by a very generous donation. The anonymous donor said, "I want this site to help Marshall and as many other transplant patients as possible." We are honored and humbled as recipients of this gift and we will make every effort to insure that many others in the transplant community are helped through this site. If you have suggestions about how this site can best benefit the whole community, please go to the REQUEST INFO page and send us your comments.
