This summer, 11-year-old Daya Boparai got to do something that many children might take for granted. He went swimming for the first time in his life.
“We went swimming at the Cloverdale Community Centre. It was scary at first because I had never been swimming before, and I wasn’t sure what it would be like. But once I got in, I had so much fun. I really liked being in the water and getting to do something I’d never been able to do before. I haven’t gone back yet, but I can’t wait to go swimming again!” Daya shares.
Next week, the Abbotsford boy will hit another milestone when he starts grade seven.
After a lifetime of medical challenges, for Daya and his family, these childhood experiences are never taken for granted.
Daya’s older sister Kimran says, “Our family watched Daya struggle for nine years, never knowing how or when we would be able to see the baby of our family recover.”
Before Daya was born, doctors discovered that his urethra was blocked, preventing him from urinating properly while he was still in the womb. The resulting pressure caused significant damage to his kidneys, and when he was born, his kidneys were already in failure.
Daya and his sisters in 2024
For years, the medical team at BC Children’s Hospital was able to manage his kidney failure. Then, in 2023, his health reached a point where he needed a kidney transplant. The family explored living donation, but couldn’t find a match so a transplant from a deceased donor was their only option. After just two weeks on the transplant waitlist, Daya got the call. At the end of August 2023, he received his second chance at life.
Kimran says her brother’s recovery went incredibly well.
“It was surprisingly fast. Daya was walking by the fourth day, and said he felt like someone had given him a ‘superhero injection of power.’ He felt stronger and had way more energy.”
Finally, after years of watching other children participate in activities he wasn’t allowed to do, Daya was now able to simply be a kid, thanks to the selfless gift from a stranger and their family.
Daya will be celebrating his 12th birthday this month. He loves going to school, spending time with friends, getting outside to explore nature, drawing and playing video games.
He and his family are so grateful to their donor and donor’s family for giving Daya a chance to finally live and thrive.
“We would like to thank them for the ultimate sacrifice they had to make. Through every success in Daya’s life, we will all remember the gift he was given that allowed him to reach this point. We know it must have been an incredibly hard decision,” shares Kimran.
Daya adds, “I promise to take care of my kidney as best as I can to show how much it means to me. Thank you so much for making a choice that helped me during a really hard time and let me be like all the other kids around me.”
One more thing Daya can do now: dream of a future.
“My wish is to work in healthcare so I can help people, just as everyone helped me.”
