Matthew LeBlanc, 11, was named the IWK’s 2023 Children’s Miracle Network Champion during an event the Walmart location in Port Hawkesbury on Monday. Born prematurely at 32 weeks, LeBlanc's kidneys weren’t functioning and required two transplants. ContributedPORT HAWKESBURY — A Port Hawkesbury boy who has undergone two kidney transplants has some advice to share with other children dealing with health problems.
His mother, Tonia LeBlanc, said after six months, Matthew was able to go home but still required 12 hours of dialysis every night. Andy LeBlanc, left, and his wife Tonia LeBlanc hold their twin sons Matthew and Ben. The boys were born prematurely and while Ben was discharged after five weeks, Matthew’s kidneys weren’t functioning and he needed dialysis stay alive. Contributed - ccIn fact, many of the IWK staff became like a second family to the twins, Tonia and her husband Andy LeBlanc.
Matthew LeBlanc suffered nerve damage while undergoing his second kidney transplant when he was eight years old. He lost feeling in left leg and had to use a walker for a year while he learned to walk again. Contributed - ccAlthough the transplant was largely a success, there was one major complication: Matthew suffered nerve damage and had to learn to walk again.
“Since that last kidney transplant, he’s just been amazing. His numbers have been better than they ever have. He went this last year for the first time in his entire life without an admission to any hospital — that had never happened; we usually have multiple admissions over the year. He’s growing, he’s thriving — he’s an 11-year-old boy finding what he loves to do.”