The Coffey family received welcome news Friday, learning JohnnyCoffey may be able to donate a kidney to his 18-month-old son,Braxton.

Braxton was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure at five weeksand his parents, Johnny and Elaine, were told he would eventuallyneed a kidney transplant.

“We were told that they (his kidneys) would never grow largeenough to meet his needs,” Elaine Coffey said.

“Eventually” came a lot sooner than anyone was expecting.

Braxton’s kidney levels have been monitored closely since birth,and on Nov. 8 doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Birminghamreported that his levels had more than doubled in a two-monthperiod. That meant he needed a transplant immediately, ElaineCoffey said.

His kidneys are operating at less than 7 percent and nearingfailure, she said.

“He needs a transplant before the end of the year,” ElaineCoffey said.

Johnny Coffey was tested for compatibility and the family wastold Friday that he appears to be a match.

“It’s a godsend,” Elaine Coffey said, noting they did not havetime for Braxton to be listed on the organ donor transplantlist.

Johnny Coffey will go to Birmingham this week and be evaluatedfor three days to ensure his body can function on one kidney, shesaid.

“As long as he is healthy enough, we should be able to get thatdone by the end of the year. As far as we know, Johnny is healthy,”she said.

Even so, Elaine Coffey said, the transplant will not be the endof their ordeal.

“I don’t, realistically, think it’s over. I think the hard partlies ahead,” she said. “We just put our faith in God and pray everyday that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Friends, family and co-workers have worked hard and held severalfund-raisers to help them, she said. The Braxton Coffey BenefitFund has been established at State Bank and Trustmark National Bankto receive donations to help the family offset the medical costs,travel expenses and time away from work.

“Although we have insurance, it doesn’t come near the totalcosts involved,” Elaine Coffey said. “Johnny will have to be out ofwork for a while after the transplant, and I’ll have to be off tocare for both of them. We’ll have to live in Birmingham for sixweeks. Bills still have to be paid.”

Elaine Coffey’s employer, State Bank, is selling personalizedChristmas tree ornaments and has designed the “Braxton’s BuddiesCookbook” with employee recipes to help the family. The cookbookswill be ready around mid-December, but orders are being takennow.

For more information on fund-raisers for the Coffey family,contact Lisa Givens at (601) 835-5441.