Barbie girl: New kidney donated by doctor brother keeps 11-year-old Emily Alanko dancing

Born with a rare genetic condition, 11-year-old Emily Alanko of Commack returned recently to Cohen Children’s Medical Center to thank her doctors by performing an original dance number. Alanko, who loves everything Barbie, showed she is back on the dance floor once again after undergoing kidney transplant surgery on February 6, 2024. The organ was donated by her big brother, Daniel Alanko, MD.

Christine Sethna, MD, director of pediatric nephrology at Cohen, has been treating Alanko since she was born.

“Emily was born with a genetic syndrome called Branchio-OtoRenal (BOR) Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder,” said Sethna. “In Emily’s case, she was born with just one kidney that wasn’t functioning properly. It was also discovered at birth that she was born hard of hearing.”

BOR is a very rare disorder that approximately one in 40,000 babies worldwide are born with, said Pamela Singer, MD, medical director of the pediatric kidney transplant program: “And here we have Emily who faces the world with so much energy and hope. She is an inspiration for all of us.” Emily’s situation, she said, was made that much better because of a loving family who supported her during surgery and recovery.

Joined by her mother, father and life-saving brother, Alanko returned to Cohen, part of Northwell Health, to thank the two doctors who have been monitoring her health since birth. Emily showed her thanks by performing a live Barbie-themed dance that was choreographed by Linda Castro, the girl’s life-long dance instructor.

Before assuming her position in a pink Barbie box, Alanko  said even though “medicine is gross,” she wanted to thank her doctors and her brother, who she says is her hero. Sporting pink and purple glittery hearing aids and dressed in a hot pink dance costume, Alanko performed an original number called “Dance the Night.”

Prior to the transplant, Alanko’s family noticed she was becoming increasingly tired and forgetful. Her mother, Monica Resendez, said she would come home from school at 3:45pm and just go to bed.

“We saw a very bright student, who used to score straight As, coming back from a test and barely passing,” said her father, Steven Alanko. “It was clear that we would have to seriously face the possibility of transplant in the near future.”

So, on February 5, Emily’s brother, Dr. Alanko, himself a pediatric emergency room physician, selflessly donated a kidney to his little sister.

Introducing himself as “Emily’s brother and kidney donor,” Dr. Alanko explained that the testing process to become a donor was long and difficult. Prior to the transplant, he met with doctors, psychiatrists and social workers – a team effort to ensure that he was fully prepared to make this commitment.

“I’m here today to emphasize once again that we can all live with one healthy kidney,” he said. “And, to be honest, if it had turned out that I wasn’t a match for Emily, I would have been very disappointed. I’ve added decades to her life – with no sacrifice to my own. This is one of the few times in life that you know you were put on earth for a reason.”