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Girl Adopted by Nurse Receives Kidney Transplant

Ashley Echols-Dobbs, the little girl adopted by her pediatric nurse, got a kidney Thursday.

A kidney from a 17-year-old deceased organ donor should give Ashley decades of reprieve from dialysis. Most kidney transplants do not last a lifetime, said Camille Echols, Ashley’s mother. But worrying about what might be needed 20 years from now was not going to get in the way of celebrating Thursday’s successful surgery.

“We were totally thrilled,” Echols said. “She has a big incision because it’s basically an adult kidney crammed in there, and she’s really uncomfortable right now with all the tubes, but her kidney is working beautifully.”

Ashley, 2, is in ICU at Emory. She will likely be in the hospital another 10 days or so, Echols said.

Ashley’s story of neglect was featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week.

Ashley’s nurse, Echols, and her partner Julie Dobbs eventually interceded, and Ashley was placed in their foster care.

The two adopted Ashley this spring.

Echols said she and Dobbs were exhausted, but that everyone was doing well.

“Ashley just drank something, and that’s the first time for her to interact other than to cry and say ‘mama,’ ” Echols said.

“She popped the pacifier out and said ‘more’ when I was holding her cup.”

(c) YellowBrix 2008

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