Katelyn Policastro, 5-Week-Old at Childrens Hospital L.A., Needs a Donated Lung to Survive: If She Gets One it Would be a Worldwide First

By Dennis Romero Mon., Jun. 6 2011 at 1:23 PM

Categories: Health

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Super cute.

A 5-week old Southern California girl is battling to stay alive as a result of a rare lung disease.

On Monday Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the girl's parents made an appeal for a lung donor who would likely save Katelyn Policastro's life. If it happens, it would be a global first for a child with Katelyn's rare affliction, doctors say.

The typically fatal disease is called alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) and results in a lack of oxygen and pulmonary hypertension, according to the hospital, which states it is "typically fatal." But ...

... if Katelyn can find a suitable lung donor, she could be able to survive.

Childrens Hopsital spokesman Brian Greene told the Weekly that she's been stabilized but remains in critical condition. "She's in a battle here," he said.

Her Camarillo-based parents issued the appeal through Childrens, with father Marc Policastro stating:

Today, we are reaching out to the public on behalf of Katelyn. In order to survive she will need a lung transplant. We hope and pray that if this possibility emerges in the coming days or weeks, we encourage people to contact the medical team at Children's Hospital Los Angeles as soon as possible.

Childrens Hospital doctors say there are only about 90 cases of ACD worldwide, and that if Katelyn gets a lung it will be a worldwide first. According to a hospital statement ...

... If a donor match is located, Katelyn would be the first ACD patient to ever receive a lung transplant.

Doctor Philippe Friedlich says:

Katelyn is the first patient that I have ever seen with ACD that meets the criteria to be a candidate for a lung transplant that has the potential to save her life.

Want to make history? Contact Childrens Hospital at 323-361-5932.

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

Tags:

ACD, baby, Childrens Hospital, fatal disease, Los Angeles, lung, lung transplant, organ donor, rare disease

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GLMACH

WE ARE PRAYING EVERY DAY YOU WILL FIND A LUNGTRANSPLANT LESLIE AQND MARC SHE IS SO CUTE DENNY AND GINNY

Lesliepolicastro

Thank you so much. We were supposed to visit Nebraska at the end July. I don't think we are going to make it. Katelyn is getting bigger stronger and cuter, if that's possible. Thanks again Leslie

David J Undis

Your story about Katelyn Policastro and Organ Donation Registration highlighted the tragic shortage of human organs for transplant operations. There are now over 110,000 people on the National Transplant Waiting List, with over 50% of these people dying before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year. There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage – give donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die. Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. Everyone who is willing to receive should be willing to give. Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. LifeSharers has over 14,600 members as of this writing, including 1757 members in California. Please contact me - Dave Undis, Executive Director of LifeSharers - if your readers would like to learn more about our innovative approach to increasing the number of organ donors. I can arrange interviews with some of our local members if you're interested. My email address is daveundis@lifesharers.org. My phone number is 615-351-8622.