Putnam County community celebrates young kidney transplant recipient by giving back
Friends, family members and community supporters gathered in Garrison for a blood drive and fundraiser to benefit the music therapy program at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.
More Stories
A Putnam County family turned gratitude into action on Saturday after a life-saving kidney transplant helped their daughter get a second chance at life.
Friends, family members and community supporters gathered in Garrison for a blood drive and fundraiser to benefit the music therapy program at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. The event celebrated the journey of Hadley Frusciante, whose battle with kidney failure began when she was just 9 months old.
Hadley was diagnosed with kidney failure in August 2023 and spent significant time in the hospital undergoing multiple procedures, surgeries and more than 10 blood transfusions. Those transfusions were critical in helping keep her daughter alive while the family awaited a transplant, according to Hadley's mother, Lindsay Frusciante.
“Those donations saved her life,” Frusciante said. “It allowed us to get to the kidney transplant.”
Hadley ultimately received a kidney transplant in August 2024. The transplant was made possible through the generosity of her aunt, who donated a kidney and received a voucher through the National Kidney Registry to help Hadley receive a matching donor organ.
The event also highlighted the impact of Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s music therapy program, which the Frusciante family said provided comfort and hope during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
Community members came out in large numbers to show their support. Several donors said they were inspired by Hadley’s story and wanted to help a family they had come to know through school and community connections.
The event served as both a celebration of Hadley’s resilience and a reminder of the impact blood donors, organ donors and hospital support programs can have on families facing medical challenges.
