Local woman receives life-saving kidney transplant, thanks to her father

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Hilda Castillo, a 45-year-old single mom born with FSGS, a hereditary disease that causes scarring in the filters of the kidneys which was passed on to her from her dad’s mother.

Before her transplant, Castillo was often tired, dizzy, nauseous, and light-headed. She had been undergoing dialysis for two and half years and she was told if she didn’t continue treatment she would have 3-6 months left. It was then that her father Francisco Castillo offered to be her donor.

Castillo says, at first her dad was fearful to the idea of surgery and its possibilities.

“I think my dad at first was scared to do it because you’re going in an unknown situation and a lot of people say a lot of things you know it’s just scary at the same time,” said Castillo.

Castillo had her surgery on December 16th, She says she was scared to leave her loved ones behind.

“I was not scared to die because I knew eventually, we are all going to die but I was scared to leave my kids, I was scared to leave my parents with this pain of not being able to stay here with them,” said Castillo.

Castillo urges you to be open to the possibility of being a donor.

“I said oh my gosh I feel great for the first time I feel what a normal person feels like and I’m so grateful feeling tired my whole life was just a challenge every day a daily challenge it was hard but I’m glad I was lucky enough to have a loving dad do that for me,” said Castillo.

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