12-year-old Saskatchewan boy recovering in Toronto after complex multi-organ transplant

It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

That’s how Maymont resident Jennifer Starycki describes her son Nate’s recovery from a complex multi-organ transplant last week.

The 12-year-old was born with a condition called gastroschisis, a defect of the abdominal wall. According to a definition on the Centers for Disease Control website, intestines — and sometimes other organs — are found outside of a baby’s body, through a hole near the belly button.

Speaking with Gormley, Starycki says many children with the condition go through life without too many serious complications.

“A majority of the time, kids do fairly well, like spend little time in the hospital,” Starycki said. “Complications from gastroschisis, (Nate) pretty much had every single one that you could have his whole entire life.”

However, years ago, Nate experienced intestinal failure and was put on an organ transplant wait list.

In late November, the family got a call from Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital and were told Nate would receive new organs.

Starycki says the transplant included his stomach, small and large intestines, liver, pancreas, duodenum and part of his colon — essentially his entire digestive system. The surgery took 14 hours.

“He came really fast out of the gate,” she said. “After the transplant was over, he was actually sent back to the ward only three days after, which is very, very fast. But he is a fighter and always has been.”

Last Sunday, she says a routine biopsy was done and doctors became concerned about organ rejection, but it was ruled out. Medical staff are now trying to find out the source of an infection.

“Overall, he’s got his pain under control,” Starycki said. “He’s sitting up, playing his video games a little bit, working on some Lamborghini models that he likes to build. So he’s actually doing extremely well for having that kind of surgery.”

Starycki says they’ll take any good day that comes along.

“This is going to take months, if not up to a year to stay in Toronto while it works itself out,” she said.

A GoFundMe page was set up for the family with the goal of raising $50,000 to help with ongoing medical, family, hotel and other costs. More than $67,000 was raised.

Starycki also writes Facebook entries, posts pictures of Nate, and shares videos describing how the entire family is doing and the COVID-19-related restrictions in the hospital.

“The restrictions are heavy,” she said. “It’s one parent at a time, no siblings at all. We were relying on Ronald McDonald House to stay there, but they have their own restrictions because we’re out of province with my husband having to go back and forth.”

The Staryckis are hoping to bring their other two children to Toronto for Christmas, but they’re taking everything one day at a time. She says her husband has been her rock.

“It’s a long road,” she added. “We’ll do our best to try to navigate through it. Whatever Nate needs is what we will provide for him.”