There’s something about small towns and their sports. Ice rinks are often the heart of a community.
It’s where friendships are found and a particular one between two Strathmore, Alta., families turned out to be a life-saving connection.
Thirteen-year-old Kael Cumming was born with kidney failure.
“Some days I can get really really sick — nauseous with bad headaches and stuff — and that happens kind of often with no kidneys,” Cumming said.
In March 2022, doctors decided to remove his kidneys because he was constantly susceptible to infections. He spends most of his days on dialysis and needs a kidney transplant.
“I was concerned and thinking, how long am I going to have to wait? Who’s going to give me a kidney?” Cumming said.
It turns out one of the women who managed Cumming’s big sister Katelyn’s ringette team was up for the challenge. Carmen Briggs got tested and discovered she is a match.
“I thought, why not see if I can help him be more? We are all meant for great things in this world — what’s he meant for?” Briggs said.
“It’s an amazing feeling that someone is giving me an organ,” Cumming said.
“When your child is hurt or in pain, you’re helpless to do anything. You are at the mercy of medicine,” Briggs said.
The teen’s mom, Shelley Read, said she is grateful beyond words for Briggs stepping up.
“I was not surprised at all when I found out that Carmen was doing this,” Read said. “This is in her character. She is so selfless.”
“There hasn’t been a lot of words, because there is so much emotion behind those words,” Read said.
“I think the reward for everybody will be seeing Kael after the surgery. What would be a better thank you for Carmen than to have that?”
“There is no thanks needed.”
“The thanks is being able to see him swim and ride his bike and hang with his friends and eat the bad foods and just live life as full as he wants to. That’s all the thanks I need,” Briggs said.
“When I did have kidneys, one of them wasn’t working 100 per cent and the other one was not working at all, so it’s going be nice to finally feel great,” Cumming said.
The transplant surgery date is Feb. 7.
“This is a lifesaving surgery. His disease is life-limiting. But we hope he can carry this kidney for 30 years,” Read said.
“I hope in my soul this is a forever fix,” Briggs said.
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