Actor Mark Lee's youngest daughter, Calynn, turned 8 on August 19, and to celebrate this special day, the actor's wife, Catherine Ng wrote a touching note for her.
Calynn was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called glomerulonephritis (GN) three years ago.
For those unaware, glomerulonephritis in children results from inflammation of tiny tubes (glomeruli) in the kidney. These tubes act as filters, clean the blood by separating wastes and the extra fluid. When these glomeruli fail to function problem, waste products start to build up in the blood.
So, naturally, when Calynn's parents came to know of her condition, they were disheartened. But didn't lose hope.
"We’ve never regretted having you"
In her latest Instagram post, Catherine shared that Mark often jokes that Calynn was “made with love” since the couple weren't planning on having more kids.
She then went to post her touching message for her daughter.
"Mum and dad are very happy that you’ve come to us, to become our child… Although we were under a lot of pressure, due to your illness, and at one point, Mum even wondered if I’d done something wrong, to cause your illness… we’ve never regretted having you," she wrote.
Calynn Is "Getting healthier day-by-day"
Last year in December, Catherine shared that her daughter stopped taking steroids since July and her latest checkup revealed that she is in the best of health.
She further added that if all goes well, she won't be required to take medicines at all.
She went on to share that her heart breaks to see her daughter go through the pain of the treatment. But she is happy that her condition is improving and Calynn is getting healthier day by day.
"Wish you a happy birthday! As long as you grow up happy and healthy, everything else is not important! We all love you very much," she added.
The couple who have three kids together– daughters Calista, 12, and Calynn, 8, and son Marksonn, 9– are not only known for their star power but also for been open about their daughter's condition.
Their honesty about the subject has highlighted this issue and forced parents in Singapore to take notice of a condition that affects almost 35.7% of the islanders.
As a report by the Ministry of Health (MOH) states, "Based on the National Renal Registry data, glomerulonephritis was the underlying cause of kidney failure in 35.7% of the patients starting dialysis in 2000."
For the uninitiated, here are some more insights into Glomerulonephritis in children and when you will need to head to the doctor.
Glomerulonephritis In Children
Glomerulonephritis in children specifically could lead to swelling in various parts of the body like the face and hands. In some rare cases, it can also lead to kidney failure.
Causes of glomerulonephritis in children
Acute glomerulonephritis can develop after streptococcal bacteria causes a throat or skin infection. Other causes include immunological problems like lupus or if there is a case of infection with a different bacteria or a virus.
Sometimes, chronic cases of glomerulonephritis can be passed down in families.
Symptoms of glomerulonephritis in children
The symptoms of GN may vary from child to child and include:
- Sore throat
- Less urine
- Lack of energy
- Urine is usually dark brown in colour
- Breathing trouble
- Headache
- High BP
- Weight loss
- Joint pain
- Pale skin colour
The symptoms of glomerulonephritis are quite similar to other health conditions. So it is important to head to a doctor for the correct diagnosis.
Diagnosis Of Glomerulonephritis In Children
The doctor may diagnose glomerulonephritis by recommending the following tests
- Blood tests
- Urine sample
- Kidney ultrasound
- Kidney Biopsy
Once you have the report in hand, the doctor can recommend the next course of the treatment.
Treatment Of Glomerulonephritis In Children
The doctor will recommend an appropriate treatment depending on the cause, overall health and the age of the child. There are cases when acute Glomerulonephritis gets better on its own.
The child will need to be given steroids and other drugs when Glomerulonephritis is the result of an immune system problem. Some children may require dialysis, which is a treatment to clean the blood, in case the kidneys are irreversibly damaged.
In the meantime, the doctor might recommend medicines to lower the blood pressure or help the kidneys to generate urine and get rid of the waste. The child may also be required to drink less fluids than normal and also consume a diet that is low in salt, protein and potassium.
In addition to this, it is also advisable to take care of the child's diet and ask the child's doctor if they need calcium supplements.
News source: 8 Days
Singapore actor Mark Lee's daughter battling rare kidney disease
Being Constipated Puts You At Risk For Kidney Disease: Study