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2-year-old Echo Brock was born with underdeveloped, peanut-sized kidneys. The dwarf organs caused him to develop Kidney Disease, and now, he’s in need of a life-altering kidney transplant.

Brock has three siblings who attend Spring Creek Charter Academy, and the school honored him Thursday for his fight with the disease. Brock threw the first pitch of the Stallion’s baseball game against Bainbridge Middle School and was prayed over after. 

March is Kidney Awareness Month, and the pre-game ceremony raised awareness for the disease he faces and the procedure he needs. A Kidney transplant will allow Brock to live a “full healthy life.”

“He is an energetic bundle of joy,” said Arial Brock, Brock’s mother. “No matter where he goes, he always has a smile on his face. He brightens every room he’s in”

Kidney Disease has taken its toll on Brock and his family. 

The organ’s primary function is to filter waste from the blood and remove it from the body through urine. Brock’s kidneys aren’t able to do this job completely, so he has to undergo a blood-filtering treatment called Peritoneal Dialysis. Peritoneal Dialysis uses an external apparatus to filter Brock’s blood and requires him to be hooked up to the device for 10 hours every day. 

His parents perform the Dialysis at home through the night while Brock sleeps. It’s a process that must be monitored closely, must be performed correctly every time, and Brock must stay connected to the Dialysis machine for the full duration.

“A lot of people don’t realize,” said Eric Brock, Brock’s father, “We have to stay up through the night or wake up several times through the night because his Dialysis machine will alarm… If he rolls around in bed, a lot of times, the machine will alarm because the line gets kinked.”

With the kidney transplant, Brock will no longer need to be on dialysis. He will have to follow a strict medication schedule to ensure the success of the procedure, but the 10-hour nights will be over. 

This transplant won’t be the only one he needs, though. Transplanted Kidneys have a life cycle of roughly 15-20 years before having to be replaced with another transplant, according to the National Health Service. That means Echo is due for more than one Kidney transplant in his life, as well as a lifelong medication regimen.

Because of this, Eric and Arial are starting a medical fund for the 2-year-old. The fund is similar to a savings account; this money will sit safely for as long as Brock needs. It will stay with him for the rest of his life and ensure he will always have the finances to combat his Kidney Disease.

“He will be able to have this money, and nobody will be able to take it away from him,” Arial said. “In the future, I don’t want him to ever have to second guess between eating his next meal or getting his medicine that he needs that literally will keep him alive.”

Brock’s parents said they wouldn’t be able to do what they do without the support of the people around them. Arial said their “village” is extensive and always understanding of their situation. She said they’re eager to help and never shy away from an opportunity to assist the family.

“The love we have with the village is unreal,” Arial said. “They don’t second guess, they don’t even think twice, they just all jump in… We’re just overwhelmed with the love that they show us and give us in our time of need.”

How you can help

You can support Brock and his family by donating to his medical fund at http://www.cotaforechosjourney.com/. 

You may be a match for Brock’s kidney transplant. Go to www.EmoryLivingDonor.org to find out if you can be the reason he lives a better life. If you have any questions, “please don’t hesitate” to reach out to Arial Brock at 229-220-1416.

Brock has an A+ blood type, and you can be a potential donor if you have an A or O blood type. If you make it past the five-minute information collection stage, they will send you a box that you can then take to your doctor’s office to have your blood drawn. 

You will be asked for the following information from him : 

His name: Echo Brock 

DOB: 10-01-2021