‘Just blown away’: West Nipissing community rallies around young boy with rare kidney disease

West Nipissing is rallying around a local family whose child was born with a rare kidney disease and needs to undergo a transplant soon.

The community of West Nipissing is rallying around a local family with a nearly three-year-old child who was born with a rare kidney disease and needs to undergo a transplant soon.

Noah Plouffe and his mother have been living at the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto for nearly a year for daily treatment.

When Noah was born, he was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). It’s a rare genetic disorder that affects 1 in 20,000 children.

It hasn’t been easy for his family, who are originally from West Nipissing and later moved to Timmins. At just five weeks old, Noah had his first kidney removed and then the second over a year later.

‘He is just so happy’

“Everyone knows Noah in the whole hospital and at the Ronald McDonald House,” his mom, Heidi Menard, said with a smile.

“He is just so happy despite everything and that’s amazing.”

Noah relies on hemodialysis treatment at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. Doctors have advised the family that he won’t qualify for a kidney transplant for another year or so until his vessels grow larger.

“This is literally life-saving treatment for Noah,” Heidi said.

“He has zero urine output. I find a lot of times people don’t understand that without kidneys, you don’t pee.”

A community rallies

To help cover medical supplies and living expenses, Noah’s grandmother Audrey Menard is organizing a community walk for him on June 14.

“All I’ve seen is an outpour of empathy and compassion,” said Menard of how the community has come together in a bid to help Noah.

The walk is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. at 175 Ethel St. The entry is $20 per participant. It will go on rain or shine.

The community has started to rally around the young boy and his family.

Just last week, some students from École secondaire publique Nipissing Ouest were out going door-to-door collecting donations to give to the family.

Local businesses have also been stepping up in support with their own charity raffles to raise money.

Charlene Bolduc, the owner of Sturgeon Falls Printing on King Street, has made flyers and hung them around town and she’s even designed special t-shirts for sale.

“My kids are actually the ones that say we should make some kind of t-shirt and I said, ‘That’s a wonderful idea,’” she recalled.

“So, from all the t-shirts that we make and sell, all the proceeds go to Noah’s family.”

Long journey ahead

There’s still a long journey ahead for Noah.

Once he qualifies for a transplant, he will be put on the list to find a donor, which could take months. Then after surgery, Noah will likely remain at SickKids for a few months for follow-up care.

Heidi estimates she’ll be at the Ronald McDonald House for at least two years until all is said and done. But, she knows who there’s a town who’s got her back every step of the way.

“We’re definitely just blown away by all of the support,” she said.

“I just feel so, so blessed.”

To pre-register for the walk, click here.