A mother has revealed how her teenage daughter's nosebleed alerted doctors to three dangerous illnesses within the family, including cancer and kidney failure.
In 2013, then 14-year-old Crystal Enns had the day off school because her nose wouldn't stop bleeding.
Crystal's parents took her to see a doctor where she underwent standard medical tests. Later, she was diagnosed with a rare health condition called juvenile nephronophthisis.
According to the Urology Care Foundation, juvenile nephronophthisis is found in 10-20% of children with kidney failure.
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Crystal Enns in hospital after being diagnosed with the rare condition
Sufferers of this rare condition are usually thirsty all of the time and urinate excessively. They may also have eye problems, skeletal abnormalities and liver fibrosis.
Following the diagnosis, doctors told Crystal that she would need a kidney transplant.
The teenager's parents jumped at the chance to help their daughter and donate a kidney, but after undergoing tests, they were shocked to find out that both of them had kidney cancer.
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Crystal Enns with her family
Thankfully, Crystal's aunt was a perfect match and the teenager, now 17 years old, was able to undergo a transplant in April, which was a success.
Because her mother and father's cancer was caught early, they were also both able to undergo surgery to have it removed.
Doctors later revealed that Crystal's nosebleed was completely unrelated to the disease.
The teen's mother, Cristy, told ABC News: "We are overwhelmed with gratitude to God for allowing us to find out about her kidney disease when we did because Mark and I would never have been tested otherwise.
"The timing of her nosebleed allowed us to begin the donor screening process early, with plenty of time to discover and take care of our alarming cancer diagnosis before it came time for Crystal's transplant."
Each of your kidneys is just the size of your fist, which means that two small organs — or just one, in some people — have to do a lot of work to keep your body free of toxins and dangerous buildup of waste products. (credit:Shutterstock)
You Can Live With One Kidney (02 of13)
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Some people are born with just one kidney; the single organ usually becomes slightly larger to compensate for its missing partner, and people with one kidney can be just as healthy as those with two. Other people have one kidney because of disease or injury to the other, or because they've been a living kidney donor. (credit:Shutterstock)
The Causes Of Kidney Disease (03 of13)
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Diabetes, high blood pressure, and artery hardening are the most common causes of kidney disease. Other possible causes are nephritis, or inflammation of the kidneys. Others are related to your genes. Because what we call "kidney disease" is actually many different diseases or conditions, there are many different possible causes. (credit:Shutterstock)
Symptoms Of Kidney Disease (04 of13)
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It's important to know the symptoms of kidney disease, because it can be threatening to your overall health. They include: puffy eyes, hands, and feet (edema); fatigue; shortness of breath; loss of appetite; nausea and vomiting; thirst; persistently itchy skin; weight loss; and a yellowish-brown tint to the skin.However, mild to moderate kidney disease may not have any obvious symptoms. (credit:Shutterstock)
What If Your Kidneys Are Working Too Hard?(05 of13)
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"When our kidneys are overloaded, we might end up with kidney stones or infections of the urinary tract or bladder," Vakharia says. If those problems sound familiar, you might want to try some of the tips given here in order to ramp up your kidney help somewhat. Always consult with a trusted physician before you make any changes to medicine or start taking supplements. (credit:Shutterstock)
Stay Hydrated (06 of13)
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"To support our kidneys, the first and more important step is to ensure that you are drinking a healthy amount of water," Vakharia says. "Staying hydrated is key to help rid the body of toxins and harmful bacteria."What are some signs you should up your water intake? Get a few extra glasses if your urine is dark yellow or if you're suffering from fatigue and headaches. (credit:Shutterstock)
Get Your Greens(07 of13)
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Vakharia advises adding bitter greens like dandelion and parsley in your diet, and their diuretic functions can help keep things moving through your kidneys and the rest of your body. "These foods and herbs also help to clean the blood," she says, "so that there are fewer irritants that need to be filtered by the kidneys." Dandelion greens are the leaves of those pesky yellow-flowered weeds, but trying to save money by harvesting from your front yard isn't necessarily a good idea. If you plan to eat dandelion weeds that grow wild on your property, or that you grow yourself, first make sure you aren't using any potentially harmful chemicals and have the soil tested to make sure it's safe to grow edibles. (credit:Shutterstock)
Try Uva Ursi (08 of13)
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Uva what? "Uva ursi is an herb that has protective factors for the kidneys and also helps in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections and bladder infections," Vakharia says. Talk to your health professional before using uva ursi, as it can cause problems for some people, and never give it to children. (credit:Shutterstock)
And Add Some 'Vitamin' D(09 of13)
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"D-mannoseis a simple sugar that helps to prevent UTI-causing bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder," Vakharia says. It appears to be mostly safe for general use, but there is some evidence it can make blood-sugar control more difficult for diabetics and it hasn't been well studied in pregnant or breastfeeding women. (credit:Shutterstock)
Limit Booze And Caffeine (10 of13)
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Caffeine and alcohol are both associated with a higher risk of kidney stones — if you are particularly prone to them, you may want to limit or avoid both of those substances. (credit:Shutterstock)
Cut Animal Protein (11 of13)
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If you tend to get kidney stones, reducing the amount of animal foods in your diet could be a smart move, Vakharia says. "A diet high in animal proteins leads to urine high in calcium and uric acid, which can result in kidney stone formation," she advised (credit:Shutterstock)
Watch Your Salt Intake(12 of13)
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The National Kidney Disease Education Program in the U.S. recommends keeping your daily sodium intake to less than 1,500 milligrams daily, in order to help control your blood pressure. Just one fast-food meal can easily go over this limit, so check nutritional info for your favourite restaurants and take-out spots and read packaging when you're grocery shopping. (credit:Shutterstock)
Eat Heart Healthy (13 of13)
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Because circulatory health and kidney health are so tied together, choosing foods that are good for your heart can be good for your kidneys too. Focus on fresh foods, avoid too much saturated fat, bake or broil your food instead of frying, and eat lots of fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of animal protein. (credit:Shutterstock)