Strong, Unique & Powerful: Meet Emilia Walejeski
Who is Emilia?
Emilia Walejeski is an active 12-year-old with a schedule full of figure skating, middle school, family, friends, and daily care for her transplant kidney. Needless to say, she’s got a lot on her plate!
Her story began before she was even born.
During Holly DeRosa’s 20-week ultrasound, doctors noticed unusually low amniotic fluid, a sign something might be wrong with Emilia’s kidneys. Born prematurely at just four pounds, Emilia spent three weeks in the NICU before doctors discovered Emilia had a solitary, dysplastic kidney, meaning her only functioning kidney had developed abnormally. Doctors guessed Emilia’s kidney would function about 7 years, and as time went on, that prediction began to become a reality.
Growing up, Emilia became a familiar face at UIC Nephrology, where blood draws and medications were simply part of life. Holly made it her mission to make appointments a little less intimidating. Between selecting phlebotomist who entertained Emilia with songs and jokes, and the promise of Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks afterward, the family found ways to make the best of difficult days.
And despite everything, Emilia spent her early childhood doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing: being a kid.
"Life is like a marathon. You just keep logging the miles." — Holly
A Kidney from Mom
As Emilia’s kidney function declined, her family began prepping for a transplant in 2020. As if navigating kidney disease wasn’t challenging enough, they were doing it in the middle of a global pandemic.
By December 2020, dialysis was becoming a possibility. But in January 2021, the family received some incredible news: Holly was a match to donate her kidney! And just one month later, Emilia receiver her new kidney from her mom.
Life Beyond the Diagnosis
When asked to describe herself in three words, Emilia chose strong, unique, and powerful. Holly had her own take: enduring, imaginative, and having a “beautiful stubbornness” (a mother’s way of saying her daughter knows what she wants!)
Through it all, Emilia has learned that being strong doesn’t mean never being scared. It means facing challenges, even when you’d rather not.
"You're not different or difficult because you don't want to do it. It's only natural for someone to not want to do something that seems hard." — Emilia
Today, Emilia’s life includes time on the ice, the demands of middle school and ongoing care for her transplant kidney. Medications and blood draws are still part of her routine, and so is staying hydrated, one of her biggest daily priorities. Friends, family, and the activities she loves are also important!
Her kidney journey will always be part of her story, but it certainly doesn’t define who she is.
Comments