A local 13-year-old boy is battling a rare congenital kidney condition and his family is urgently seeking a living kidney donor to save his life.
Elias Manolis is an eighth grader who loves school, his family and spending time with his newly adopted puppy, Cooper. But while most teens worry about homework and weekend plans, Elias is facing a serious medical struggle. Born with a condition that obstructs his urinary system, his kidneys have been deteriorating for months, and his overall kidney function has dropped to a dangerously low level.
Elias said a successful transplant would mean a chance at the normal childhood most kids take for granted. “If I get a new kidney, then I actually can live a normal life,” he shared, noting he often has to cut activities short because of medical complications.
When Dialysis Looms
Doctors at the Northwell Transplant Institute warn that Elias is nearing the point where he will have to begin dialysis — a time-consuming treatment that requires multiple hospital visits each week. Because he is so young, his family is focusing on finding a living donor, whose kidney generally lasts significantly longer than one from a deceased donor.
What Being a Donor Involves
Medical staff explain that donating a kidney doesn’t mean giving up an active lifestyle. The surgery is typically minimally invasive, requires just a short hospital stay, and many donors return to normal routines fairly quickly. “We have donors who are marathon runners… back at running, exercising,” said a Northwell living donor ambassador.
Elias’ parents, Nick and Margaret Manolis, both say watching their son fight every day has been heartbreaking — and they hope a donor will step forward soon. “To want to help your kid and you can’t, it’s very hard,” Nick said.
How You Can Help
Potential donors should ideally have type O or B blood and a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or less to be considered a match. Anyone interested in learning more is encouraged to reach out to Northwell’s transplant team:
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Libbie Binkiewicz, LMSW (Living Donor Ambassador)
📞 Call/text: 516-666-0899
📧 Lbinkiewicz@northwell.edu -
Northwell Transplant Department
📞 516-472-5800
Elias and his family say that whoever steps up to donate will truly be a hero, giving him the gift of life and a chance to grow up healthy.