Chartiers teen doesn’t slow down, despite need for kidney transplant
Mikey Lento, second from left, a sophomore at Chartiers-Houston High School, is shown with his mother, Gretchen Carl, left, his brother, Anthony Lento, and family friend Kamie Autry.
Mikey Lento was born with one kidney, and now his only kidney is functioning at less than one-third of normal. To raise money for a kidney transplant, Mikey's family and the community have created Team Mikey bracelets.
From left are Chartiers-Houston football player Tyrone Wormsley, C-H sophomore Mikey Lento and Mikey's older brother, Tommy.
Mikey Lento is your average high school sophomore. He’s a social butterfly andloves playing Xbox and going to Friday night football games.
But Lento, 15, of Chartiers Township, was also born with one kidney and was recently diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. His kidney is now functioning at less than 33 percent of its capacity, so doctors recommended Mikey a kidney transplant.
Looking at Mikey, it’s hard to tell he suffers from any kind of pain. He’s a happy teenager, sporting Penguins jersey as he plays with his 6-year-old dog, Molly. But Mikey also deals with VACTERL syndrome, a disorder that affects multiple body systems. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine website, VACTERL syndrome can consist of vertebral defects, cardiac defects, tracheo-esophageal fistula (a persistent connection between the windpipe and esophagus), renal or kidney anomalies and limb anomalies.
Mikey was diagnosed with VACTERL syndrome after being born eight weeks premature. He already had eight surgeries in his life and needs to be catheterized every two hours. Every evening, he must go through a bowel program. Mikey also must take eight pills a day.
“But he doesn’t give a crap about it,” said Gretchen Carl, Mikey’s mother. “He’s ready to get (a kidney) tomorrow.”
But kidney transplants are expensive. With the cost often exceeding $500,000, many transplant families are unable to shoulder the financial burden.
Mikey’s family has reached out to Children’s Organ Transplant Association, a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses. So far, an estimated $30,000 was raised by Washington County volunteers. There will be a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Mikey Jan. 24 at Hickory Presbyterian Church at 210 Main St. from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dinner will be followed by a Chinese auction. All funds will go directly to COTA in Mikey’s name.
“Really, the whole community reached out to him,” Carl said. “He knows everyone, and everyone knows him.”
He’s enrolled in a life-skills program through special education at Chartiers-Houston High School, where going to football games is one of Mikey’s favorite pastimes. He goes in full uniform, runs through a banner and even did the coin toss and sung the national anthem. Mikey also sung the national anthem at the Pony League World Series in Washington and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at a Wild Things game.
“He knows everyone,” said Kamie Autry, family friend and community coordinator for raising funds for Mikey’s COTA page. “He’s like the town mayor.”
Mikey said when he’s older he’d love to own a landscaping business, but his brother Anthony suggested that, with his love of Chartiers-Houston football and the Steelers, he may want to be a coach.
“He would love to be a coach,” his mom added.
Despite all he’s gone through, Mikey remains a happy kid.
“He wakes up happy,” Autry said. Mikey has two brothers, Anthony, a seventh-grader, and Tommy, a junior at Chartiers-Houston.
“They’re (all) different, but all great kids,” Carl said. “Mikey taught them to appreciate what they have in life. I am very blessed.”
While Mikey continues to wait for a transplant, life goes on for the sports fan and his family. Mikey will continue to go to football games and live life.
“He makes you realize what life’s really about,” Autry said. “We’re not going to stop until we get him a kidney, and he’s going to live a long, happy life.”
Donations for Mikey’s transplant expenses can be mailed to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, at 2501 West COTA Drive Bloomington, Ind., 47403. Checks or money orders should be made payable to COTA, with “In Honor of Mikey L” written on the memo line. Secure credit card donations are also accepted online at www.COTAforMikeyL.com, and 100 precent of funds raised are used for Mikey’s transplant-related expenses.