Two of the greatest moments in my career were when we were able to get a kidney for my oldest and dearest friend, North Hudson Fire Capt. Robbo Pisani, and for my cousin, Rich Trevelise.

Now we must go to the well a third time, for 13-year-old Jason Anderson from Middletown, who is in desperate need of a kidney and who could get the normal life he deserves if he gets one. This is an email from Jason's mom, Gwen, whom I spoke with on New Jersey 101.5:

Jason was adopted at birth and he was not growing or gaining weight, therefore at 18 months old, I pushed for a blood test to see why and it identified that Jason was in kidney failure (He has chronic kidney disease). He has been monitored at  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia since he was 22 months old. The diagnosis was bilateral multicystic kidney disease. Upon learning this diagnosis, we were told that Jason would need a transplant probably sometime in his teens. Believe it or not puberty has a play in kidney function reduction.

Due to the Kidney Disease Jason was not eating, therefore not growing and gaining weight. After 9 months of trying to get him to eat or gain weight we had no choice but to place a feeding tube in his stomach, when he was 3 1/2 years old. When looking at his medical records, we realized he has had at least one to two procedures/surgeries a year.

A few years ago, a genetic test was done, and we found out that Jason has two gene mutations. One which is causing his kidney failure as well as other side effects and one that is causing him not to grow, therefore he has, to take growth hormone injections to grow.

If you were to meet Jason, you would never know he has health issues. I call him the healthiest chronically ill child you will ever meet. But this also means Jason has to take two injects every day and over 20 pills a day to keep his health at a safe level and a special diet.

Fall of 2019, his kidney function decreased to the point that he had to be evaluated for a kidney transplant and he was put on the national kidney transplant list on 1/2/20. Since we, his parents are not his biological parents, neither of us are a match. The doctors want to do the transplant preemptively of dialysis, because dialysis cause other health issues.

There are 44 kids at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia alone that need a kidney transplants and are on the list.

If Jason gets a living donor, the probability of it working immediately is very strong, compared to a cadaver and essentially this new kidney will not have the gene mutation.

Quoting his teacher at the Rugby school at Woodfield in Wall: “Jason looks out for the underdog. He is kind hearted and funny and wants everyone to be happy.”

Our insurance will cover all the donor’s medical costs and if the donor one day needs a kidney, they will go to the top of the list to receive one.

If you would like additional information, please feel free to private message Gwen his mother on Facebook or email Gwen at gabalut1019@gmail.com. You can also call the transplant team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia at 215-590-3913 and mention you are calling about Jason Anderson.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are Steve's own. Steve Trevelise is on New Jersey 101.5 Monday-Thursday from 7pm-11pm. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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