Support Anthony's fight against kidney disease
Anthony needs a kidney. The road to surgery is long and difficult. Thank you for your support!
Why does Anthony need a kidney?
Anthony Boccalini – lovingly known as “Tony” and self-appointed as “Big Bocc” – has been courageously fighting a rare inherited kidney disease, Autosomal Dominant Tubulointerstitial Kidney Disease MUC-1 (ADTKD-MUC1). This genetic condition causes a gradual decline in kidney function, eventually leading to renal failure. As kidney function worsens, Anthony faces numerous health complications and depends on dialysis, a life-preserving yet challenging process. Unfortunately, dialysis is only a temporary solution while awaiting a transplant, and no treatment currently exists for ADTKD-MUC1.
In 2018, Anthony was fortunate to receive a cadaver kidney transplant, which was expected to last between 5-10 years. Sadly, in May 2024, he began experiencing troubling symptoms, and tests confirmed that his transplanted kidney had failed. Since then, Anthony has endured multiple hospitalizations and had a catheter placed in his chest to resume dialysis. Despite these measures, his body has struggled to respond to dialysis, leading to recurring health crises, including dangerously high blood pressure.
Anthony has been hospitalized eight times over the past six months, underscoring the urgency of his situation. Now, he desperately needs a new kidney to regain stability and continue sharing life’s moments with his beloved 9-year-old son, Thomas.
No one chooses to face an illness like this, and Anthony deserves a chance to live a healthy life free from pain. We believe that with your support, we can find him a life-saving donor. We humbly ask you to consider becoming a living kidney donor and help restore hope and health to Anthony’s life.
Family history
Anthony and his first BFF, his mom Judith (Wagner) Boccalini
Anthony, the youngest of six kids, inherited his fun-loving spirit – along with the rare kidney disease ADTKD-MUC-1 – from his mother, Judy. She, in turn, inherited it from her mother, Veronica. While this disease tends to progress faster in men, Judy was fortunate to live most of her life without severe symptoms, though subtle signs of kidney issues were always present. It wasn’t until genetic testing in 2015 that the specific diagnosis was confirmed.
In 2020, Judy suffered a stroke, and her health began to decline. By 2021, she required dialysis, but her body struggled with the treatment. Tragically, Judy passed away due to complications from kidney failure caused by ADTKD-MUC-1 on March 1, 2022.